Joel Embiid proves he hasn't lost his soccer touch while playing keepie uppies with Anthony Davis
Joel Embiid and Team USA had a tough win against South Sudan on Saturday. However, the multi-talented star from the Philadelphia 76ers isn’t taking too much load on a tough night in an exhibition game. The 2023 NBA MVP played keepie uppies with his Olympic teammate, Anthony Davis.
In the video that the NBA posted on Instagram, Embiid juggled the basketball while Davis looked with a big smile. After a few juggles, Embiid tried to play tricks with the ball but, unfortunately, the ball hit Davis. While Davis laughingly said that Embiid had dropped the ball, Embiid said that Davis had come in the way.
Since his injury, the 76ers star has not seen been doing that anymore. The latest video proves that the star player has not lost his touch in keepie uppies.
Joel Embiid and Team USA will next play Germany on Monday in their last exhibition game before they begin their quest for the Olympics. The game will be played in London.
Joel Embiid opens up on his GOAT case
In the last few seasons, the numbers that Joel Embiid has put up on the board are all-time great. During the 2021-22 season, he averaged 30.6 points per game, followed by his MVP season when he averaged 33.1 points. Last season, Embiid’s numbers were 34.7 points per game in 39 contests, before he got injured.
With such numbers and an MVP award, Embiid is missing just one thing in his career, a championship to complete his resume. If Embiid had won a couple of championships, he would already be in GOAT conversation and he knows it. However, his injuries have been a big problem in his career.
In a conversation with the New York Times, the Sixers star was asked if he would be in a GOAT conversation if he didn’t have injuries.
“I think so. I think I’m that talented,” Embiid answered. “I didn’t stop believing it until probably my fourth or fifth year in the league, when I had the opportunity to accomplish something special. And for that, obviously, you need to win championships. And to win championships, you need other guys. You need help.”
“I mean, if you think about it, the thing that has stopped me all these years is just freak injuries,” Embiid added. “Every single playoffs, regular season, people falling on my knee or someone breaking my face twice. It was always about freak injuries at the wrong time.
“Like, I really believe that because if I was more healthy I think it would’ve been a different story.”
Even today, Joel Embiid's case for being a Hall Of Fame player remains very strong.