The narrative on Joel Embiid is beyond lazy
Honestly, the narrative around Joel Embiid has gotten exhausting. Every year it’s the same recycled garbage.
You have members of the national media and a ton of podcast hosts, former players, and social media in general recycling the same bullshit, saying Embiid is “he’s soft,” “he’s not dominant enough,” “he doesn’t play like a real center.” It’s tired. It’s especially ridiculous coming from someone like Shaquille O’Neal, who should know better.
Shaq says Joel Embiid is no longer a top big, calling him “soft”
Shaq keeps pushing this idea that Embiid’s game somehow disqualifies him from being a “true big man,” as if the modern NBA still revolves around post-ups and drop-steps.
It does not.
Joel Embiid’s ability to hurt defenses from every spot on the floor. Pick your poison. Mid-range, three-point line, pick-and-roll, face-up, post-up, you name it.
It’s exactly why he’s special. Calling that soft, knowing Joel Embiid’s injury history, isn’t analysis in any sense of the word. It’s lazy and should discredit anyone, including Shaq, who dares to push that narratives.
You can criticize Embiid’s play last night all you want. He wasn’t great. He looked slow, out of rhythm, and out of sync. But questioning his toughness? That’s just low-effort punditry from a guy who’s supposed to be one of the best basketball minds on TV.
VJ Edgecombe makes history, Maxey drops 40, as the Sixers stun the Celtics on Opening Night
The Sixers Won. You Just Wouldn’t Know It Online.
The Sixers beat the Celtics 117–116 on opening night in Boston and somehow the conversation wasn’t about that. If you scrolled through social media, you’d think Embiid personally cost Philly the game. Every post, every highlight, every take was some variation of “Embiid washed,” “Embiid soft,” “Embiid problem.”
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Meanwhile, rookie VJ Edgecombe went nuclear for 34 points, the most by any Sixers rookie in a debut and the third-highest rookie debut scoring performance in NBA history. The only two ahead of him played before color television. That’s not just impressive. That’s absurd.
VJ Edgecombe is making me Trust The Process again
Oh, and Tyrese Maxey casually dropped 40 points of his own. A new backcourt just combined for 74 points in Boston, and the national conversation was… Embiid?
The Real Story: Edgecombe and Maxey Took Over
Edgecombe played with confidence you don’t see in rookies anymore. He attacked, hit threes, dunked on people, and looked like he’d been running the offense for years. That’s the real story.
Maxey was electric. Controlled tempo. Hit every big shot late. Looked like a guy who’s ready to take another leap. Those two basically carried the Sixers while Embiid eased his way back into rhythm.
Nick Nurse ran tighter rotations and let the guards dictate the pace. Once Embiid sat due to his 20-minute limit, the offense actually sped up. The Sixers started running, moving the ball, cutting, attacking the rim… you know, everything we’ve been begging to see from the Sixers for YEARS at this point.
It’s One Game. Relax.
Look, nobody’s pretending Embiid played well. He didn’t. He looked off-balance and a step behind defensively. But it’s one game, the first game of the season, after limited preseason action and knee issues that clearly still linger.
If anything, last night proved the Sixers can win when he’s not perfect. That’s a good thing. It means they have a young, explosive backcourt capable of carrying them through stretches where Embiid needs to get right.
So yeah, maybe Embiid didn’t dominate. But the team still did and if Maxey and Edgecombe keep playing like that? Philly’s ceiling just got a whole lot higher.
The lazy talking heads can keep calling him soft. Real fans saw something else last night. There’s a new era starting to take shape in Philadelphia.
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