Joel Embiid’s performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics was once again criticized. His poor performance at Team USA’s games due to his lack of training beforehand had caught the attention of NBA legend Charles Barkley.
The former Pheonix Suns legend had been featured in Paul George’s podcast. Barkley had expressed disappointment in the Sixers center’s underwhelming performance in the USA’s matches against their opponents in the group stage.
“I think that’s one of the reasons he’s always injured. I don’t think he’s in good enough shape…You got to be a little bit embarrassed by the way you played.”
Embiid’s been giving nasty ball plays at the Olympics lately. He only played for two games, getting a DNP against South Sudan. He was in the starting lineup in the USA’s first game against Serbia. Still, he was eventually benched due to his lousy performance, only scoring four points.
The Sixers center was deployed again at the USA’s match against Puerto Rico. That time, Embiid scored 15 points, two assists, and three rebounds. However, his supposed mastery of offense and defense has yet to be displayed. Thanks to Joel’s teammates’ plays, they have dominated Puerto Rico and their other opponents so far.
The seven-time NBA All-Star’s plays are supposed to bolster Team USA’s on all plays, but he has never shown it throughout the games. Many criticize Embiid for being included with NBA veterans such as James and Curry, particularly his lack of seriousness during practice.
Joel Embiid is also the talk of the people regarding his recovering injuries. Just months ago, he had an injury in his knee. He was still included in Team USA’s roster for Paris, which boggled many at the time. The 76ers center’s plays aren’t showing everyone that his injuries aren’t a hindrance.
A look at Joel Embiid’s past season performance
Last season, the 2023 NBA MVP averaged a career-high average of 34.7 points, 5.6 assists, and 1.2 steals. In the playoffs, he also had a postseason-high 33.0 points. However, his efforts remained futile, as the Philadelphia 76ers lost in the first round against the New York Knicks.
At that time, Joel Embiid was also diagnosed with Bell’s palsy and had been dealing with migraines and blurred vision. After choosing between three nationalities, he plays for Team USA at the Paris Olympics.
As Team USA advances to the knockout round, it’s still uncertain if Embiid will be part of the starting lineup due to his bad performance. He might be on the USA’s bench.
For more NBA content:
Follow me on X at @ErnestLeo, and follow us at @HardwoodHeroics. You can also reach out to Ernest Hernandez via email at [email protected]. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest NBA news, click here!
Ernest also handles a YouTube account called Sports On Air, which has over 102 thousand subscribers. The channel contains interviews predominantly from the Philippine Basketball Association. They can be reached through [email protected].
