Updated: 2:43 p.m.
Joel Embiid has pledged to donate $500,000 to COVID-19 medical relief efforts, a league source confirmed Tuesday to NBC Sports Philadelphia.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne first reported Embiid’s pledge.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The All-Star center also planned to help Sixers employees who would suffer financially because of salary reductions the Sixers intended to implement with the NBA season suspended because of the coronavirus outbreak. However, managing partner Josh Harris released a statement Tuesday afternoon in which he indicated the team would reverse course and pay all employees their full salaries. The team initially was asking full-time salaried employees making at least $50,000 to reduce their pay by up to 20 percent.
"After listening to our staff and players, it’s clear that was the wrong decision," Harris said.
Embiid tweeted that he was "proud of the Sixers organization for "reversing course and 'doing a 180.'"
A three-time All-Star starter, Embiid was selected third in the 2014 NBA draft by the Sixers. After missing his first two seasons because of injury, he’s become a face of the franchise and one of the league’s best big men.
Embiid has been in self-isolation since March 11 and researching the best ways to assist doctors and nurses, according to Shelburne.
NBA
The Sixers announced last Thursday that three members of the organization tested positive for the coronavirus.
Click here to download the MyTeams App by NBC Sports! Receive comprehensive coverage of your teams and stream the Flyers, Sixers and Phillies games easily on your device.