Despite Shaq Parallels, Anthony Davis’ Upper Hand Over Joel Embiid Explains Why Lakers Star Should Start Ahead in Paris Olympics

Joel Embiid has not been that great of an addition to Team USA in the exhibition games. The statement isn’t a surprise, considering that he goes for slow starts normally, even in the league as well. However, when the stakes are high, as the Dream Team 2.0 is having this time at the Paris Olympics, athletes like Joel Embiid become a punching bag for the audience and basketball fanatics. The 52-point streak that Embiid added in exhibition games did not add the value that other players like Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis added. On top of that, the Sixers fans compare him to the Shamrock for his stature as the Big Man.

That’s what hit the nerve of ESPN media veteran Colin Cowherd when he went on a rant against the Sixers star for his showcase performance on ‘Fox Sports Radio,’ “I’m not denying he’s got a Shaq feel to him but Shaq won in the playoffs. Shaq was dominant when it mattered.”

There’s a difference in what aura is spreading out from someone and what he actually delivers on the court. Cowherd addressed the same issue when he called out Embiid for not leading Philadelphia deeper into the playoffs last season. Since Fox Sports media analyst questioned Embiid’s playoff troubles, he did not stay away from his on-court maneuvers during the Olympics showcase when he added, “I’m watching this Olympic stuff; Embiid gets in the way of the offense. Anthony Davis doesn’t.”

Nonetheless, amid claims from Team USA supporters calling out coach Kerr to start with Anthony Davis on the roster, Cowherd further solidified their argument, stating, “Hell, Anthony Davis took two shots yesterday [USA-Germany exhibition] and was the second most dominating player in the game to Steph Curry. Here’s the thing I like about AD …he can be a star and dominate a game, but he’s also an incredibly complimentary player; he elevates LeBron.”

The final nail in Embiid’s Team USA spot coffin was hit with Colin’s next argument when he said, “He [Davis] can be a complementary player on this Olympic team or can dominate moments. With Embiid, there is no complimentary to his game … I’m not sure he elevates anybody. I’m watching Serbia USA, Australia USA is not as dominant a player, as complimentary a player, as important a player as Anthony Davis and I don’t think that’s relatively close.”

Since Colin has got off on Embiid for his Olympic exhibition on-court demonstrations, let us dig up further why he said so.

Joel Embiid Vs. Anthony Davis Olympic Exhibition Stats

Though Joel Embiid was better in the last two games against South Sudan and Germany, where he finished with 14 pts/7reb/2 ast and 15 pts/8reb/5 ast stat line against Davis’ 15/11/2 and 10/7/2, his previous games were a disaster. In the games against Australia, he only scored 10 points, along with 5 rebounds and 1 assist. But Lakers‘ Davis was an impact player in that game, along with his 17-point spree added with 14 rebounds and one assist.

There was no standout performance like this from Joel Embiid while playing in the exhibition games. Even Bam Adebayo put together 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists against Serbia, which compelled LeBron to call him ‘Bam Bam Splash’ after the game. That’s why even Paul Pierce sided with Adebayo when he talked about his choice of starter to Colin, stating, “If I’m US, I would start Bam. … I like what he brings because you don’t have to go to him. He creates his own offense or you know AD the same thing. I think it’s whereas Embiid to be effective, you’ve to go to him[Bam].”

So, the top choice for the starters after Anthony Davis was Bam Adebayo instead of Joel Embiid. However, Paul Pierce also mentioned that AD shares the same skill set as Adebayo at an elite level. Ultimately, Davis might produce a better result and then Bam can support him on the second unit to maintain the flow set by Davis in the first stretch. If Bam starts, his ability to create plays and floor space might surge Embiid’s ability to score as he needs space to hit the hoops, and there is no one better than Bam to share the court with him for the purpose.

Will coach Kerr defend this proposition from Fox Sports media analysts applying it to the Dream Team 2.0? Or will he move ahead with his strategy to create momentum for Embiid, considering his sluggish approach to offense at the start? Either way, the ultimate goal is to secure a gold medal, and the Team USA guide might be the way to a sweeping victory after all the criticism the team is receiving because of the slow start and his roster choices, most prominently including Joel Embiid.

What’s your prediction for the group games roster starter and the ones that should be put into the second unit? Let us know their names in the comments, along with their favorite Olympics performance.