Former NBA players have reacted to Joel Embiid confirming to reporters that he won't be playing in back-to-back games the rest of his career.
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Two of the more outspoken critics are none other than hall of famers Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley.
"You have to want to be that guy," O'Neal said Friday on the Big Pod With Shaq. "And with his statements the other day, I don't think Joel wants to be that guy... S. O. F. T.!"
Shaq calls out Joel Embiid for not playing in back-to-backs and calls him soft
“You don’t get double-teamed, you don’t get triple-teamed. All he’s doing is pick and pop. Why are you tired?”
(🎥 @bigpodwithshaq / https://t.co/1EwLOAdD3I) pic.twitter.com/oHJ97d4NW7
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 25, 2024
That is to say former 76ers legend Charles Barkley also previously had a lot to say about Embiid's load management.
"Man, I don't have any idea what the Sixers are doing. I don't think it's fair, [Embiid] just signed for three years, $193 million. Three years, $193 million to play basketball. We're not steelworkers, we're not nurses, like people who've got real jobs who have to work 40-50 hours a week. We're playing basketball at the most four days a week. Most of the time three days a week."
"He just signed for 3 years, $193 million... to play basketball. We're not steel workers, we're not nurses... We're playing basketball, at the most, 4 days a week." - Charles Barkley on the Sixers and Joel Embiid's load management pic.twitter.com/ybNjKMUcw3
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 24, 2024
"If they had to say it, and Kenny [Smith] and Shaq [O'Neal] know this... Just say hey I'm going to play 25 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back. Or then Drummond plays, but to come out and say it in advance was stupidity by the Sixers. Period."
Chuck shared his thoughts on Joel Embiid's load management. 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/oNPwat8Tfl
— theScore (@theScore) October 25, 2024
Former Celtics stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce also gave their thoughts on this issue, while criticizing this new generation of NBA players.
First missing back-to-backs, now not ready for the start of the season?⁰@KevinGarnett5KG & @paulpierce34 sound off on Joel Embiid & the load management culture of the modern NBA.
⁰Catch an all new Ticket & Truth: https://t.co/cWQofWrzzb pic.twitter.com/OnPZNNmNo5— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) October 25, 2024
"I just don't understand why these guys aren't ready at the start of the year," Garnett said.
The 2022-23 season MVP not being ready for the start of the 2024-25 season is somewhat of a surprise, as Embiid was a contributer in helping Team USA win a gold medal in the Paris Olympics this summer.
All in all, the 30-year-old big man is seemingly going through an individualized recovery program for his surgically repaired left knee, after he tore his meniscus last season.
Embiid is now ramping up activities and should be considered day-to-day at this point.
Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid working out pregame.
He’s unavailable tonight against the Raptors. pic.twitter.com/jblA3m2wjy
— Toronto Star Sports (@StarSports) October 25, 2024
Related: NBA Starts Investigation Into Whether 76ers Violating Participation Policy By Sitting Joel Embiid
