Team USA started off their USA Basketball Showcase match with an 88-72 win against Team Canada. This part is great to hear. However, it was a poor showing, especially given the loaded roster the American team boasted. And Joel Embiid took the worst hit of it all. The 76ers big man, who has citizenship in three countries, had decided to dedicate his first Olympics playing for the United States of America.

Easily an imposing presence with his 7-foot, 280-pound frame, the Cameroonian failed to harness that size to his advantage. And the result was picking up five fouls in 12 minutes! Suffice it to say, he was mercilessly hunted and roasted on social media. Especially when you consider the fact that there were already many who questioned his presence on Team USA.

But it seems like the 2023 MVP has already put his forgettable performance behind him. After all, they are in Las Vegas, and what better place to drown out your sorrows than ‘Sin City’? Helping him was none other than Shaquille O’Neal, or should we say, DJ Diesel? Shaq, fellow big man and one of the legendary centers in the NBA was back in Vegas offering his music services.

Recent reports and stories of participants showed Joel Embiid as part of the festivities along with the Toronto Raptors star, Scottie Barnes at Encore Beach Club. Barnes posted the ‘Big Diesel’ in all his glory from the stage on his Instagram story as he captioned the clip “Dj Diesel! 🔥” tagging him in the end.

The place where the event took place, Encore Beach Club, also posted stories of the groovy beats and the crowd going wild. It’s in their story that we see Embiid standing next to Shaq on the stage. Nothing more than a simple tag to the man of the hour adorned their collage.

But just how bad was Embiid’s performance vs Canada?

Joel Embiid might want to recalibrate himself for the Olympics

The Avengers team started Embiid, Steph Curry, LeBron James, Devin Booker, and Jrue Holiday in the hopes that the big man would set the tone against a Canadian team that lacked size outside of Dwight Powell. Unfortunately, Powell, the starting center, got the upper hand early on.

Despite his teammates helping him get touches on the perimeter and in the post, it was a fumbling Embiid we saw in the first few minutes. Physicality is a huge plus for the 7x All-Star. With the Sixers, he often finds himself getting into a rhythm early, getting to the line and strong starts. However, his debut was the stark opposite. The 2x scoring champion could not find his rhythm.

The result was five points, six rebounds, two assists, and the maximum of five fouls in just 12 minutes of playing time. Anyway, Team USA’s next target is Australia in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for 12:00 PM ET. Hopefully, he has better luck there!

Before you go, though, be sure to check this video of Leonardo Armato’s take on the deadly duo, Shaq and Kobe. Don’t forget to check back in for more such updates from our ES Fancast!