Charles Barkley has criticized Joel Embiid for his lackluster performance in the Olympics and emphasized the need for him to view it as a learning opportunity.
Embiid’s stats at the Olympics have been subpar, with an average of 9.5 points and 2.5 rebounds per game on 42.1 percent shooting. He was even benched in the second half against Serbia and did not play against South Sudan.
Barkley suggests that Embiid should use this disappointing Olympic experience to motivate himself to make necessary adjustments for the upcoming NBA season.
“I hope this is a wake-up [call] for Joel, this Olympic experience,” Barkley expressed on Paul George’s podcast. “He has not played well, and I’m hoping he’s like, ‘Yo, man, 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.’”
Barkley also mentioned that he hopes Embiid’s Olympic journey will teach him the importance of taking a supporting role to 76ers teammates Paul George and Tyrese Maxey at times.
“He’s got to be like, ‘Okay, it’s Paul’s night. Okay, it’s [Maxey]’s night. What can I do when I don’t get the ball?’”
George shared that he understands the challenge of adjusting roles on Team USA and advised Embiid to stay open-minded during the Paris Olympics.
“Just try to find a way to stay engaged and challenge yourself in a different way than you would do in the NBA,” George recalled telling Embiid. “We had a good talk about that.”
Embiid and Team USA are set to play Brazil in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
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