"WTF WAS SAINZ DOING?": Joel Embiid shocked by chaotic Sergio Perez & Carlos Sainz crash, heaps high praise on Oscar Piastri
Joel Embiid spends some of his free time watching Formula 1 racing when he isn't busy dominating the basketball court with the Philadelphia 76ers. In the latest Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Embiid shared his reaction to the collision between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz. The big man was not too pleased with Sainz in his post.
It was a neck-and-neck race from start to finish, which involved an unfortunate crash between the two racecar drivers. Perez was performing well and would have finished on a good note. However, things quickly turned sour once contact was made with Sainz's vehicle.
"What the f**k was Sainz doing?" Embiid tweeted on X on Sunday, blaming the Ferrari driver.
The Sixers big man is an avid fan of Formula 1, and he shared that his upbringing in Cameroon was a huge reason why. Growing up as a young kid, he was molded into football and F1. He has since carried that childhood wonder for the two sports.
During the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Embiid wanted to give credit where it was due. The promising McLaren driver has started to make some noise surrounding his reputation in Formula 1 and the big man has noticed the same thing.
"Oscar Piastri is a future world champion," Embiid tweeted.
Oscar Piastri finished first place at the race, beating Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and Mercedes' Lando Norris. It was the fourth time that Leclerc started on pole but came up short once again to finish first.
Embiid was impressed with how the young Piastri handled himself in the race. It's no easy feat to get the better of other more experienced drivers. However, Piastri has shown how to do the job in challenging situations.
Joel Embiid is not sweating over the possibility of being criticized by the media for GOAT comments
In an interview in August with the New York Times Podcasts, Joel Embiid didn't sweat when he said he would have already been included in the "Greatest of All Time" conversations if it weren't for his injuries. When the interviewer told him that the media would possibly criticize his claims, he wasn't too worried about it.
"That's okay because that's the truth," Embiid said. "I mean, you think about what I've been able to accomplish and what has been taken away because of injuries. There's a lot of what-ifs, but if you combine collectively and invidually, you can make the case of being up there."
Embiid is recognized as one of the top two centers playing in the NBA today. With an MVP award to his name, some are still waiting for the time he finally adds an NBA Championship to his resume.
Last season, he was on pace to finish the best statistical year of his career yet. However, he injured his left knee tendinitis and had to sit out several games for the 76ers. Injuries have always been the biggest setback of Embiid's professional career and have continued to be a factor today.