Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid sparked debate with his recent declaration that, if it were up to him, he’d never play back-to-backs again. Among those critical of Embiid’s comments was Los Angeles Lakers icon Shaquille O’Neal, who didn’t hold back his opinion.
On a recent episode of “The BIG Podcast,” O’Neal criticized Embiid, questioning his endurance and commitment. “You have to want to be that guy, and with his statement the other day, I don’t think Joel Embiid wants to be that guy,” O’Neal stated.
“I actually want him to take it personal,” Shaq added. “You can’t come out before the season and say, ‘I’m not playing back-to-backs.’ S-O-F-T. I want the smoke. So when he came out and said he’s not playing back-to-backs, I thought, ‘Why are you tired?’ He’s not getting double- or triple-teamed; all he’s doing is pick and pop.”
Embiid’s comments sparked additional controversy since he missed all preseason games, the season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks, and is expected to be out for several more games.
Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during a timeout against the Milwaukee Bucks in the first half at the Wells Fargo Center. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Barkley weighs in on the issue
NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley also weighed in on Embiid’s statement during the season’s first episode of Inside the NBA on TNT. “I was so disappointed in Joel Embiid saying he wasn’t going to play back-to-back games,” Barkley remarked.
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He continued, “You’re one of the three, four, or five best players in the world. You cannot say, as a leader of that team, ‘I’m not going to play certain games.’ That’s not the way to start the season.”
Barkley concluded by emphasizing the impact of Embiid’s remarks on his team: “As the best player and a leader, I would never start the season saying I’m not going to play back-to-back games. I thought that was a bad message.”
