There was a time, not too long ago, when Joel Embiid and Andre Drummond were considered rivals.
Over the years, they’ve had a number of heated altercations on the court, which occasionally spilled over into social media. It really did seem like a heated relationship, and fans looked forward to their battles.
“I think I own a lot of real estate in his head,” Embiid told reporters after an incident with Drummond. “We lost, so I’m not supposed to talk trash, but he knows damn well that he can’t guard me. But that was a team effort. You know, Blake [Griffin] had a good game, and they were able to pull it off, so we got another one tomorrow, and we got to do a better job.”
Embiid has always been the better player, and he knows it.
And while the pair may be teammates now, Emiid apparently still has the time to throw some shade.
“He’s a great guy. Obviously I always kicked his butt, and he knows it too. But it’s great to be in the same side. He’s a smart basketball player. I have a lot of respect for him. I think he’s going to be huge for us.
I have a lot of respect for him. I think he’s going to be huge for us.”
Joel Embiid on his early partnership with Andre Drummond:
“He’s a great guy. Obviously I always kicked his butt, and he knows it too. But it’s great to be in the same side. He’s a smart basketball player.
I have a lot of respect for him. I think he’s going to be huge for us.”
— Lauren Rosen (@LaurenMRosen) October 12, 2021
No matter the past, though, Embiid and Drummond have put aside their beef and are ready to help lead the Sixers to better days.
After a dramatic and frustrating offseason, Philadelphia is going to have to play catch-up if they want to stay ahead of the competition in the East.
The good news is, Joel is ready, Drummond is focused, and Ben Simmons has finally returned after ghosting the team all summer long.
We will see soon enough if they have what it takes to make some noise this season.
