Joel Embiid getting benched for an entire game against South Sudan was all it needed for the critics to put the stamp on the Philadelphia 76ers center’s vulnerability. Despite hailing a 7-foot stature along with his 7x NBA All-Star status, Embiid could only rake up 10.4 points with under 7 rebounds. The situation got far worse when the Team USA coach had to bench him after 11 minutes of playtime against Serbia for his underwhelming 4-point performance.

But looking beyond the scope of the Olympics, such performance amid the All-Star passers, playmakers, and offense is concerning, and that’s what media veteran Colin Cowherd raised recently on his podcast.

Discussing Embiid sitting on the sidelines, Cowherd said on ‘The Herd’ podcast, “Joel Embiid did not play. So it’s like been an awakening for Joel Embiid except a bad one.” It is more like a reflection of strengths and loopholes in Embiid’s play that are surfacing in these Olympics is what Cowherd implied with his statement.

However, the 60-year-old media vet also had a greater crux as he revealed to the NBA community, “Embiid not playing to me is a sign, the league is finally getting it on a world global stage. He doesn’t fit in Philadelphia, and in here, he clogs up the offense”. That’s what Jason Timpf agreed upon yesterday with Cowherd, that Embiid can be a force to reckon with when he is controlling the flow of the play and passers standing on a point.

However, in a run-and-gun offense where players need to move quickly back and forth around the paint, Embiid messes it up with a sluggish pace.

Hitting the final nail in Joel Embiid’s misfit debate, Cowherd said, “We’ve always blamed the coaches and his teammates in Philadelphia. But now we have Spoelstra, and Steve Kerr, and LeBron, and Stephen, AD, and it doesn’t work. He’s been anointed to something. … What you’re seeing is that he is productive. But basketball in the Olympics is something you don’t have to qualify for, it’s subjective.”

Considering the facts and Embiid’s current state, Will he really be aiding the Championship run alongside Paul George next season?

Can Joel Embiid and vet Paul George really drive Philly to the championship?

When the Philadelphia 76ers landed Paul George, everyone presumably hoped for the rise of the new Big Three. However, after witnessing what Joel Embiid has performed so far on the international stage, the possibilities are dwindling. What comes as a surprise is that Embiid is just 30 years old now, and his physical inefficacies might escalate over time. On top of that, the new addition, Paul George, is 34-year-old himself. Last season, the knee injury put Embiid’s MVP defense off the track.

If any of them suffer another injury in the next season, the championship ambition will stay in the imaginations only. George had a great 2023-24 season, playing about 74 games. But before that, he could not get past the 56-game mark in four seasons due to physical woes. Also, Embiid could only contribute in 39 games. So, most of the collaboration might happen between Tyrese Maxey and Paul George on the court since the Sixers star has not played more than 51 games for about six of his 10-season stints with the league.

So far, it is a risk that Philadelphia had to take to make the best out of their 2014 No. 3 draft pick. Joel Embiid is now aging, and if the Phillies don’t use him in his prime, the hopes of a title will only deteriorate from now on.

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.