The NBA locker room leak of Joel Embiid-Tyrese Maxey made headlines for all the wrong reasons. What was a private conversation between the teammates burst into a volcano of problems, causing widespread reactions in the basketball world. Many believe the locker room remains a sacred place and so does Bobby Portis Jr.

The Milwaukee Bucks forward detailed an incident that leaked out in the open last year during the In-Season Tournament, now known as the NBA Cup. Expected to win the event, the Bucks faced defeat against the Indiana Pacers by 128-119. Portis only managed 4 points in 18 minutes of the game and looked dejected. Yet, all hell broke loose in what happened next!

Privacy of NBA locker rooms in question by Bobby Portis

“We go to Vegas last year, and we actually lost to the Pacers in a semi-finals game and I kinda challenged the team. And coach after the game, we gotta be better man. We gotta have late-game execution. We gotta be able to execute down the stretch and we gotta be able to know what the hell we are doing on the court when it’s winning time. And, they got leaked out,” pointed out Portis, who didn’t appreciate it after appearing on the Run it Back show to voice his opinions.

With the Philadelphia 76ers lying low on the table, they can’t get anything right. When a team meeting was called to examine the various issues, things went south after this. Tyrese Maxey’s conversation transcript came out, which made people interpret issues at the 76ers camp. Yes, some glaring troubles persist. But we don’t know the entire story, right?

Well, who appreciates a breach of privacy? Do you mind if someone eavesdrops on you during a private conversation? Similar to how you love your space and alone time, athletes wish them too.

Hence, Bobby continued, “It was kinda frustrating because the locker room is sacred. Like, we are sometimes with our teammates, with our coaching staff more than our family. So, our team sometimes become family. So, when things get leaked out, especially when you mean so much good to the team. You’re just trying to ignite the team. You’re just trying to put your best foot forward for the team.”

On the other hand, Draymond Green shared a story on his podcast regarding a conversation with Kevin Durant which went up on X (previous times Twitter) in Utah. Now tweeting random conversations puts the person in the open, and Draymond didn’t appreciate it.

In the meantime, Paul George mentioned in his podcast he wanted cameras out of the locker room. Imagine you have a camera on your back when you take a shower. The situation stays the same in NBA locker rooms when players shower after a tiring game. Yet, Portis knows what he signed up for in the NBA. Apparently, with all the fame comes shame as in recent times.

Bobby Portis doesn’t appreciate the Tyrese Maxey-Joel Embiid incident

“Obviously, you signed up. I’m signed here to win. Like, I have signed here four years to get back to the championship as many times as we could. And get us closer we can. So, it is frustrating when things get leaked. Especially cuz like you said, locker room is so sacred, it’s so brotherhood,” mentioned Portis, who spends most of his time around his teammates on the road.

The life of an NBA player can get frustrating at times. You have to travel all over the country to play 82 games, injuries happen thick and fast, and you can’t get to spend time with your family. From the outside world, they have flashy cars, huge mansions, and other luxuries in life. But privacy?

Not a chance. Well, that’s the life they sign up for, one would say, and Portis understands it too, saying, “It’s frustrating but at the same time it’s part of the business.”

“It’s part of being a pro. It’s part of what comes with the territory,” concluded Bobby Portis. Hence, it’s a serious issue. Hopefully, the players can have some privacy in the locker rooms in the distant future. Otherwise, things just keep repeating. A situation like Joel Embid and Tyrese Maxey’s could hurt the public’s perception of teams.