Every player on Team USA is bound to attract significant media attention as the majority are cornerstones for their NBA teams. Despite plenty of superstars being experimented with in and out of the starting lineup, Joel Embiid is the only player besides LeBron James and Stephen Curry who has constantly been trusted by coach Steve Kerr to be a part of the starting five.
However, after the seven-time All-Star's underwhelming performance in the five exhibition games, where he averaged 10.4 points, many anticipated the Philadelphia 76ers would display his potential in the Paris Olympic Games.
Unfortunately, this expectation was not met, as he scored merely 4 points against Serbia in the team's opening game. This lackluster performance prompted Colin Cowherd to berate Embiid for winning the MVP award over Nikola Jokic and remind the fans that 'Troel' doesn't belong in the same big-man tier as The Joker.
Cowherd berates Embiid
Speaking on his show, the 60-year-old analyst scathingly critiqued the 7'0" center after his 4-point and 2-rebound performance against Serbia. It wasn't about not being effective in his minutes on the court.
Still, for Colin, the fact that JoJo failed to earn the trust of Coach Kerr after recording more turnovers than steals, blocks, and assists and getting only 11 minutes of playing time against his arch-nemesis is a more concerning factor.
Moreover, Cowherd emphasized how Jokic still managed to score 20 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds in 31 minutes for his national team, proving to fans how the 3-time MVP needs no additional support to carry him. On the other hand, he went as far as to indicate that Embiid has won the biggest accolade of his career because the media wasn't willing to hand Jokic 3 consecutive MVP titles, choosing a 'cool story' over the truth.
"Steve Kerr pulled him off the floor two minutes into the game against Serbia. He is the most overhyped, coddled, and over-discussed player in the NBA," Cowherd said. "Jokic and Embiid on the floor at the same time - it's not close, they're not the same player. They're not remotely close to the same level of player. Beyond padding his stats, Philadelphia keeps running players and coaches through him."
Considering that Embiid was the sole player on Team USA who logged a negative plus/minus rating in the opening game made Cowherd certain that his presence was hurting Kerr's team and their momentum.
He went as far as to assert that Joel's playing style, which has been categorized by his ability to draw fouls and shoot free throws from close range, is being exposed in the Olympic setting. Witnessing not every contact, he endures being determined into a foul has only limited Embiid's effectiveness on the scoring end.
"He is an atrocious fit. He doesn't fit at all. The FIBA rules don't call as many fouls, and he lives at the free-throw line," Colin added. "You take that element out of his game at the Olympics - he's not only ineffective, he hurts the team. FIBA rules are great for bigs. Jokic is dominant, AD is great, Bam is great, and Embiid can't play here. "
Embiid needs to come up big against South Sudan
While Colin's assessment may seem brutal and harsh, it only underscores the frustration fans are experiencing after Embiid becomes a complete no-show for Team USA. Even in the opening game, the minimal contribution of Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo proved to have a greater impact than Embiid's total presence in 11 minutes.
Therefore, if 'The Process' intends to silence his critics, he must deliver a significant performance for Team USA and lead them to victory against South Sudan in their next game. Certainly, if he continues to perform at his current level, it appears unlikely that the Philly superstar will remain in the starting lineup for much longer.
Related: Joel Embiid gives brutally honest take on LeBron James: "The LeBron now is not the LeBron that was a couple of years ago"
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