"Most overhyped & coddled player": NBA analyst rips Joel Embiid into shreds after disappointing Team USA Olympics debut
Team USA dominated Serbia in their first game of the 2024 Paris Olympics despite the struggles of their starting center, Joel Embiid. Embiid had a down game going up against Nikola Jokic who scored 20 points, dished eight assists, and nabbed four steals for the Serbian squad.
The disparity in the performance between these two NBA superstars has caught the attention of sports analyst Colin Cowherd. Cowherd ripped into Embiid for his disappointing game against Serbia, as well as some of his shortcomings in the NBA.
Speaking on Embiid 'The Herd' host said:
"Two years ago, the NBA media voted Joel Embiid over [Nikola] Jokic as MVP," Cowherd said. "It was really an anti-Jokic vote because Jokic is a more valuable player, he's a better player and it's not particularly close if you watched yesterday."
Cowherd continued on the NBA media keeping Jokic from winning three straight MVPs before returning to the Philadelphia 76ers big man.
"But I think it's official watching Embiid yesterday where Steve Kerr pulled him off the floor two-and-a-half minutes into the game against Serbia," Cowherd added. "He is the most overhyped, coddled, and over-discussed player in the NBA. Jokic and Embiid on the floor at the same time, it's not close, they're not the same player."
In his Olympic debut, Joel Embiid saw less than 12 minutes of action despite starting the game at center. Both Anthony Davis (19 mins) and Bam Adebayo (20 mins), USA's backup big men, saw more action than Embiid.
Embiid scored four points on 2-for-5 shooting. He was also the only player on Team USA to have a negative +/- (-8).
He'll get a chance to bounce back when the Americans play South Sudan on Jul. 31.
Also read: Joel Embiid fires three-word zinger at Tyrese Haliburton's ‘passport’ joke during Team USA's Opening Ceremony
Colin Cowherd also calls out Joel Embiid for his lack of success with the Philadelphia 76ers
After talking about how much better Nikola Jokic is than Joel Embiid, Colin Cowherd talked about the Philadelphia 76ers' lack of team success with Embiid as their star player. Specifically, Cowherd mentioned that Embiid has never moved past the second round in the Playoffs.
Cowherd also pointed out that the Eastern Conference is much weaker than the West. Yet, Embiid and the Sixers have never been to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Since "The Process" became the centerpiece for the Sixers, the team has made the Playoffs in all but one season. The only season they didn't earn a postseason berth was in 2016-17, Embiid's rookie season.
In those seven postseason appearances, Philly lost in the second round five times (2018-2023). The other two were first-round exits (2020 and 2024).
With Tyrese Maxey's emergence as a star and the acquisition of nine-time All-Star Paul George, fans are optimistic that Embiid and the Sixers could have a deeper postseason run this season,