“I’d rather be a football player”: Joel Embiid makes absurd comment after missing 2 NBA games
In his eighth season with the Philadelphia 76ers, Joel Embiid is arguably playing the best basketball of his career yet. However, criticisms have been aimed at him with his 12 missed games so far this season. Following two straight missed games since Thursday night's 134-122 loss against the Indiana Pacers, Embiid talked about wanting to be a football player more than a basketball player.
In an interview on the Men in Blazers podcast, Joel Embiid didn't mince any words regarding his love for football. Despite being regarded as one of the greatest basketball players in the NBA today, Embiid didn't lose any love for one of the biggest sports around the world.
"I'd rather be a football player than a basketball player," Embiid said. "That's how much I love it. Football to me is like there's nothing close to a bigger sport in the world, nothing close to it. I like the concept of the team. In basketball, if you have two good players you can win but in football, the team has to be together."
There's this notion that when it comes to the NBA, all a team needs is two high-caliber types of players to win in the league. However, that isn't the case, considering how fierce the competition is among teams.
Even if it is possible to win regular season games with two star players carrying the load, it's not always a guarantee, as they still need a good supporting cast to play alongside them. Additionally, having a deep playoff run still requires a deep roster composed of excellent role players and elite stars to work in harmony with one another.
With how football prioritizes team play over individual production more than anything, there's no mistaking that the same can be said when it comes to basketball. It's clear why basketball consists of five players on the court going up against the opposing team's five-man rotation.
Joel Embiid talked about his passion for football
In the same Men in Blazers podcast interview, Joel Embiid talked about where his love for football came from, dating back to his childhood.
"That was my first love," Embiid said. "To be honest, I love football more than basketball. I am actually [a huge fan]. I grew up in Italy. From the age from six to 14, I played soccer every day. It is actually my favorite sport."
"You can kind of see that football had a lot to do with how much I develop," Embiid added, "Whether it's the footwork or the hand-eye-coordination, I think football played a huge role in me becoming what I am now."
Interestingly, his childhood roots of playing football in Italy were important to his basketball development, resulting in his current dominant form. Despite not becoming a football player out of love for the sport, Joel Embiid was able to combine it with his basketball skill set, resulting in the best version of the two.
The results have been incredible, as the eye test and production on the court speak for themselves. This season, 76ers star Joel Embiid is averaging 36.0 points (53.9% shooting, including 36.8% from 3-point range), 11.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.