Philadelphia 76ers officially went through their 2024-25 NBA media day to kickstart their journey this season. Everyone, including Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and the new addition, Paul George graced the floor with interesting takes. As the team is preparing to brace the fight for the coveted Larry O’Brien, training in the Bahamas, the focus of the media day conversations soon took a different trajectory – Joel Embiid’s tampering allegations.

The sensational allegations started when Joel Embiid said this in June: “Hopefully, this offseason, we find a way to get better and, you know, add some pieces” . Now, saying this isn’t a problem; it’s the instantly looking at George that created one of the most viral pieces of news this year. The look indicated something at the time to everyone since they were on-court rivals. But a month later, George was in talks, finalizing his contract to get on board with the Philadelphia 76ers . Of course, the media day warranted this moment to be resurrected.

George was receiving tonnes of questions regarding this moment. Without disparaging his old franchise, George described the move as “happy that I was able to come to such a great organization after leaving a great organization.”

But then, he goes on to reveal that “I kind of had my decision made up  around that finals moment.” When the reporter asked “It’s been since sitting next to Joel?”, George a humorous response, “Yeah, yeah, yeah”. George continued, “I was still weighing out certain options and what it would look like for me and my family on the move. But again, you know, I felt like this was home, it felt like comfortable, it felt like family, and it was ultimately like, I think, the best decision for my career.”

Reports of Joel Embiid’s ‘tampering’ joke surfaced as tensions between George and the Clippers grew over contract negotiations. George, reportedly seeking a longer deal than the Clippers were willing to offer, ultimately signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the 76ers—a deal the team could afford due to their cap space.”

Reports of Joel Embiid‘s “tampering” joke surfaced as tensions between George and the Clippers grew over contract negotiations. At the time, reports were circulating that the Clippers and George weren’t on the same page. Geroge was reportedly seeking a longer deal than the Clippers were willing to offer. He ultimately signed a four-year contract worth $212 million with Philly – a deal that the team could afford owing to their cap space. With his requirement fulfilled, and the opportunity to play alongside players he respect, Paul George received a win-win situation.

George described the move as a ‘no-brainer’ for his career, praising the opportunity to play alongside stars Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid. “It was just an opportunity I couldn’t pass on. To team up with a star in Tyrese at the point, and then a big man in Joel, it was just a no-brainer, I feel, for me and my career, the stage I’m in”, he said.

George has been vocal about his excitement to team up with Joel Embiid, even before the move was made official. His admiration for Embiid’s skills is clear, having praised him multiple times in the past.

Did Paul George really compare Joel Embiid to Shaquille O’Neal?

Paul George did not leave the opportunity to compare Embiid with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal , citing their similarities in terms of size, agility and on-court dominance. Emphasizing Embiid’s unstoppable presence in the paint during the recent segment of his podcast, George said, “You can’t stop him. He’s too big, agile, and can shoot from the three-point line. He’s a force. He’s our generation and our version of Shaq. There’s nobody we can put on Shaq.”

For the better part of the 90s and early 2000s, Shaq was the name to look out for amongst NBA fans. While his shooting ability often caused him to face some backlash, what made the four-time champion great was his 7-foot-1 build, which made him a great defender and someone whose physical presence was enough to intimidate rivals. With a combined use of speed and strength, his scoring prowess was at a unique level. Looking at this, and the fact that George has competed against Embiid many times, he feels that his now-teammate mirrors the Lakers legend on several verticals.

Interestingly, George will wear No. 8 with the 76ers as a tribute to Kobe Bryant. While he and Embiid aren’t quite being called the next Kobe-Shaq duo, the expectations for their partnership are high as they aim to bring a championship to Philadelphia.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.