The Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid has been labeled a weakness for the star-studded Team USA that is currently participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Against Nikola Jokic and Serbia, Embiid struggled to remain on the floor, playing for only 11 minutes and being a minus-11 duringhis sparse court time. He was the only Team USA player to finish the contest with a negative plus-minus.
Embiid's struggles during his first Olympic Games appearance were more evident while watching the game. Jokic put him in the torture chamber a couple of times, while the Serbians' physicality inside the paint threw him off. FIBA rules have been more restrictive, considering how superstar players are treated in the NBA. In the Olympics, many times we're watching a leveled-play field, at least in terms of how the superstars are handled by the officials.
Embiid, who usually uses his big body to draw contact and go to the charity stripe, has not benefited from the FIBA officiating. The 76ers superstar lost his balance many times during the US Olympic opener, while the Serbians were starring five-man lineups with two big men at the 4 and 5. In any case, He experienced some of this NBA playoff toughness early this season, but his reaction to the strong-willed opponents has been problematic so far.
Please get Embiid out the game. I’m begging you Steve Kerr. Please
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) July 28, 2024
This could be an issue for the 76ers, which saw Joel Embiid fall short on the big stage all those years. Many superstars struggled during their FIBA experience. Giannis Antetokounmpo was appalled with the way the officials treated him in the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup and struggled greatly against the physical play of his opponents a few months after winning his first MVP award.
Embiid might be going down a similar path, considering that the NBA allows him to navigate defenses differently. In FIBA basketball, defenses will swarm the superstar players and force them to play outside their comfort zone. Embiid was led to shoot some contested mid-range jumpers vs. Serbia, and he was unable to find a clear path to the basket.
More importantly, the Serbians, who are more used to the FIBA rules, focused on defense in order to wear him out. Embiid could figure out a way to help Team USA in the next games, but his first step on the big stage out of the NBA basketball bubble has revealed issues that could also plague Philly in the postseason.
Joel Embiid shows inability to work in a secondary role on a star-studded roster
The Philadelphia 76ers added a lot of star power this offseason. Daryl Morey kept his promise of adding a game-changing superstar by signing Paul George. With Tyrese Maxey already on the team and Joel Embiid still in his prime, Philadelphia will enter the season as a strong title contender. While some fans were happy to see Embiid playing basketball early ahead of the upcoming season, his inability to perform alongside other NBA superstars in the Olympics might trouble the 76ers faithful.
Embiid has a secondary role on the offensive end for Team USA. Steve Kerr does not need the 76ers big man to put up 40 in order for his team to win. The Americans require Embiid to make physical defensive plays against other centers and put his big body in front of his opponents to alter shots. Embiid has not filled the role adequately so far.
The opponents do their best to make Embiid uncomfortable by targeting him in pick-and-roll situations. This strategy puts pressure on the 76ers superstar, who is committing a lot of fouls while trying to cover the ground after losing his smaller opponents. As noted earlier, Embiid definitely needs time to get used to a different situation playing for Team USA, but Philly needs to discern if the issues he has in Paris could translate into the NBA next year.