Charles Barkley Thinks Joel Embiid Needs to 'Wake Up'

AUG 6 TIME FOR A WAKE-UP CALL Joel Embiid's time at the Paris Olympics has been a rollercoaster, all the way from getting booed to being regulated to the bench. NBA legend Charles Barkley appeared on the most recent episode of Podcast P with Paul George and talked about the former MVP.

"I hope this is a wake-up for Joel," Barkley said. "I don't think he's in good enough shape...This should be a wake up call for him, like, 'you know what? I got to get in better shape. I got to get healthy. Because if we don't win the championship, or go deep in the playoffs, it's going to be because of me.' He keeps getting hurt, and he's got to take responsibility for that."

Embiid averaged a whopping 34 points per game this past season, but he did so while only appearing in 39 games. If he can keep up that same level of play while staying on the court, then the Sixers could contend with the likes of the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks at the top of the Eastern Conference.

AUG 6 STICKS STONES BREAK BONES STITCHES DONT' STOP LEBRON LeBron James is on a mission as the NBA's all-time leading scorer plays through pain during the Paris Olympics. During Team USA's 122-87 beatdown of Brazil, James' face also took a beating.

According to Steve Kerr, James received four stitches after an elbow to the face. In 17 minutes, James scored 12 points, dished nine assists, and accumulated three steals.

See the image here.

AUG 6 OG TOP 15 MID-RANGE SHOOTER Ratings for most of the players in the league have been released for NBA 2K25, so lists of the top 10 players in each attribute are available.

One of the forgotten arts of basketball is the mid-range, and New York Knicks defensive wing OG Anunoby comes in at No. 13 in the NBA with a 95 overall mid-range shot.

Anunoby shot just below 47 percent from the mid-range area this past season, which places him in the upper echelon of players in the NBA. He will be looking to use his great all-around game to help the Knicks contend for the top spot in the Eastern Conference this season.

AUGUST 6 DOUBLE 0 JACKSON After playing for Nikola Jokic for the last two seasons, Reggie Jackson will now suit up with his "rival" Joel Embiid. Jackson signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, after a contract buyout with the Charlotte Hornets. Jackson averaged 9.8 points in two seasons with the Nuggets, and won a championship in 2023.

Jackson selected a peculiar jersey number for his new team.

See the jersey number here .

AUG 4 HART RESPECTS LYLES Olympic track and field sprinter Noah Lyles went viral when he discredited the NBA Finals last year. But, Lyles just won a gold medal in Paris, and New York Knicks forward Josh Hart took to social media to give the Olympian his respect.

"Lol na he an Olympic gold medalist. He can talk for life," Hart said in a recent post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Not many people get to say that they are an Olympic gold medalist, but whenever anyone talks trash to Lyles ever again, he can say that and end the conversation.