The Philadelphia 76ers season could not have gotten off to a worse start. They currently sit at the bottom of the NBA with the worst record in the league at 2-12 after Wednesday’s loss against the Memphis Grizzlies. After a tumultuous week of confrontations within the team, former NBA champion and ESPN analyst Richard Jefferson dealt some harsh criticism towards Joel Embiid.
Embiid has struggled on and off the court this season, missing his struggling team’s first nine games while rehabbing a knee injury. Even after his return, the Sixers’ situation did not improve, prompting young star Tyrese Maxey to call him out.
On Wednesday’s NBA Countdown show, Richard Jefferson broke down the significance of the confrontation between Joel Embiid and Maxey.
I have never seen a player as great as this, as a Joel Embiid, have to be called out by some of the youngest players in his camp… I have seen it in organizations, where the babies are asked to parent the adults, and that’s what you see in this conversation.
Richard Jefferson said on the show
“I have never seen a player as great as this, as a Joel Embiid, have to be called out by some of the youngest players in his camp.”@Rjeff24 on the Sixers recent team meeting. pic.twitter.com/eownLrBWte
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 21, 2024
Joel Embiid came under heavy fire from Jefferson. He claimed that situations involving a young star like Tyrese Maxey calling out a senior superstar like Embiid are unprecedented in the NBA. RJ did not engage in the usual name-calling that the media often delves into, but he was certainly disappointed in the recent reports about the 7x All-Star.
Over the last few seasons, Joel Embiid has built up a reputation as one of the best players in the league, even securing the NBA’s MVP award in 2023. However, a situation like the one inside the Sixers locker room was best described by Jefferson as a case of “babies parenting adults,” with the 24-year-old Maxey having to call out the 30-year-old Embiid.
Joel Embiid shows glimpses of MVP-self in loss to Grizzlies
Philadelphia 76ers fans are experiencing one of the lowest moments in recent times since the beginning of the new season. After entering the season as possible championship contenders with their new ‘big three,’ the team currently holds the worst record in the league. As bad news continues to pile on for the Sixers, there was a glimpse of hope for the team in the form of Joel Embiid’s 35-point outburst against the Grizzlies.
Although the Sixers lost the game 111-117, Joel Embiid balled out, showing flashes of his pre-injury self. He finished the game with 35 points and 11 rebounds, while shooting 10-21 from the field. His form coming into the season was a major point of contention for the Sixers.
Before Wednesday, he had averaged just 14.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting a putrid 32.4% from the field. Yesterday’s game will undoubtedly boost Embiid’s numbers this season. But more importantly, a big scoring game will help the superstar regain some of his confidence after a seemingly tentative approach in his first three games of the season.
