Joel Embiid ejection: 76ers star tossed amid tirade after Andre Drummond 'unejected' following Victor Wembanyama flop

The Spurs' duel with the 76ers was billed as a matchup between star bigs, with San Antonio supernova Victor Wembanyama set to lock horns with Philadelphia's MVP, Joel Embiid.

That matchup lasted all of two quarters; Embiid was ejected after picking up two technical fouls, both of which came when he was called for an offensive foul while driving at the 20-year-old phenom.

Enter Andre Drummond, the veteran center known for his rebounding prowess. Drummond was tasked with locking up Wembanyama, a tall order given the lanky unicorn's recent performances.

If not for a bit of replay review, Nurse's squad might've been left without any seven-footers to stand across from Wembanyama. Prior to Embiid's ejection, Drummond appeared destined to hit the showers first, at least until cooler heads — and an easy replay review — prevailed.

Here's what you need to know.

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Joel Embiid ejection video

Embiid was tossed with 2:59 left in the second quarter. The Philly star attempted to get to the cup, driving into Wembanyama while trying to get to his left hand.

Wemby fell theatrically as the ball leaped from Embiid's grasp. Despite the apparent turnover, Embiid was whistled for an offensive foul, a call that prompted him to walk toward the referee for further clarification.

After attempting to have a brief conversation with the referee, Embiid launched into a tirade of sorts, removing his facemask and firing off various profanities.

Joel Embiid has been ejected for the second time in his career. pic.twitter.com/4ziLzv7S3V

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) December 24, 2024

Embiid's teammates and coaches had to get in between him and the referee following the incident, which resulted in his second career ejection. As he left the floor, he appeared to slam his mask on the floor.

Importantly, the referee who ejected Embiid — and ostensibly whistled him for the offensive foul, too — was the same one who flagged Andre Drummond for his "ejection-worthy" offense earlier in the game.

MORE: Joel Embiid injury timeline

Andre Drummond ejection reversal, explained

Drummond looked to have had a few choice words for Wembanyama after the two got tangled up with 8:13 left in the second quarter.

Drummond appeared to call Wembanyama soft as the two prepared for a Spurs inbounds pass. The San Antonio standout proceeded to tumble to the floor while attempting to evade Drummond's defensive pressure.

Then, all hell broke loose. Drummond was whistled for a second technical foul and summarily tossed from the game.

— Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod 🇸🇴 (@big_business_) December 24, 2024

Drummond was bemused, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse was apoplectic, and Philadelphia's home crowd burst into fury.

A closer look at the incident revealed Drummond made little if any contact with Wembanyama. Still, Drummond was handed his marching orders. He sulked into the tunnel, unsure of why he had been dealt such a wicked fate.

A reprieve was on the horizon, however. Drummond's ejection was subject to video review. The referees realized the error of their ways and swiftly overturned the call, leading to a Willis Reed-like return for the two-time All-Star big.

Andre Drummond just got unejected 😭#MadeForThis pic.twitter.com/c4CezmrkF5

— Philly Sports Reports (@PhlySprtsReprts) December 24, 2024

In the end, Philadelphia survived the chaos, prevailing 111-106 behind Tyrese Maxey's 32-10-8 effort. Wembanyama handled the boo birds and posted a 26-9-4 line with eight blocks and, nearly, two big-man ejections.