Joel Embiid hasn’t exactly shone on the Olympic stage for Team USA in 2024 and Charles Barkley thinks the big man isn’t in shape. During a recent appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Barkley stated he hopes that these showings in the Olympics serve as a wake-up call for the seven-time All-Star.
“I hope this is a wake-up for Joel, this Olympic experience,” Barkley said. “He has not played well, and I’m hoping he’s like, ‘Yo man, I got to get in better shape.’ Because me, personally, I think that’s one of the reasons he’s always injured. I don’t think he’s in good enough shape, but I think the way he’s played—which is not well during the Olympics—should be a wake-up call for him.
“Like, ‘You know what? I got to get in better shape. I got to get healthy because if we don’t win the championship or go deep in the playoffs, it’s going to be because of me.’ And he’s been—he keeps getting hurt,” Barkley stated. “And like I said, he’s got to take some responsibility for that.
“Bringing in you, (Tyrese) Maxey’s a stud, bringing all those other guys—if Joel don’t do his thing, the Sixers are not going to win,” Barkley added. “And like I say, he has not played well in these Olympic Games at all.
“I’m hoping somebody can get to him say, ‘Yo man, you need to get in better shape, because the way you play in the NBA, when we just going up and down the court, pound inside, number one, you can’t win like that consistently in the NBA today, but also, you got to be a little bit embarrassed the way you played in the Olympics,'” Barkley concluded.
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Barkley makes some interesting points and there is one I completely agree with. If the Philadelphia 76ers once again fail to get out of the second round, Embiid will get all the blame. This is the best team he has ever had and it’s time for him to show why he is regarded as one of the best players in the NBA.
As for Embiid not being in shape, I am not sure that’s all that accurate. He was out for two months with a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee earlier this year and was not 100% when he made his return.
Embiid’s knee was clearly bothering him in the first round series against the New York Knicks as well and I think he is just being very cautious at the Olympics. While I get the allure of wanting to win a gold medal, I am not sure playing at this event was a great idea.
Embiid’s injury history and the fact that he wasn’t 100% at the end of the season make me think he should have just rested this offseason. If the 30-year-old suffers an injury during the 2024-25 campaign, you better believe that this decision to play in the Olympics would be criticized.
As for Embiid’s play in Paris, he is averaging only 9.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks per game. The 2023 MVP has also shot just 42.1% from the field and 20% from beyond the arc. Maybe Embiid will step up in the knockouts to silence the critics but I am not all too optimistic about that.
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