76ers Forward Paul George Spoke out About What Led to His Suspension From 25 Games

During his long career in the NBA, 76ers forward Paul George has played for a handful of high-profile teams, and he joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024. Then, in February 2026, he was suspended for 25 games, leading many to wonder about his future with the team and why Paul George was suspended in the first place.

Players can face minor and major suspensions for a number of reasons in the NBA, from offenses on the court involving other players or behavior to things that happen in their personal lives that require them to take a step back from the game, if only temporarily. For Paul, it seemed to be a combination of his personal life and professional life that landed him in hot water.

The New York Times reported that Paul was suspended from the NBA for more than two dozen games because he was in violation of a drug policy in place with the NBA. As with all professional sports, the NBA has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to drugs. Paul provided a statement to the outlet, where he owned up to his actions and mentioned taking an "improper medication" while dealing with his mental health.

"Over the past few years, I've discussed the importance of mental health, and in the course of recently seeking treatment for an issue of my own, I made the mistake of taking an improper medication," he said. "I take full responsibility for my actions and apologize to the Sixers organization, my teammates, and the Philly fans for my poor decision-making during this process."

Neither the NBA nor Paul shared publicly what substance or medication Paul used prior to being drug tested and suspended for 25 games in the 2026-2027 season. Per ESPN, there are dozens of performance-enhancing drugs that are banned from the NBA, including ephedrine, human growth hormones, and testosterone.

It's not clear why Paul was tested or what drugs he was tested for, but the NBA has stated in the past that players can be tested for drugs at any time, according to Fox Sports, and that's not just limited to performance enhancers. If a player's skills on the court have suddenly drastically improved or if there is suspicion of a player using drugs of any kind, they can be tested.

Along with Paul's extended ban from playing in the NBA during his suspension, he will lose money for the games he does not play in. His salary with the 76ers is $51.7 million. According to ESPN, that means Paul will lose around $469,691.72 per game that he misses because of his suspension. There are no reports that Paul was fined on top of the suspension, but his suspension does come without pay.