?It?s Still Joel, He?s Huge,? Rockets Star Gets Candid on How Joel Embiid Rendered Him a ?Welcome to the League Moment?

This season will be known as the season Joel Embiid finally won an MVP award. Despite bagging the prestigious accolade, the Philadelphia 76ers superstar failed to see the Conference Finals. As the Celtics ousted the 76ers in the Semi-Final matchup, uncertainties started to loom over the Philly camp. Amid this tumultuous time, a young Houston Rockets star went candid on an experience he had with Joel Embiid. Interestingly, Embiid gave the youngster from Houston a dose of reality.

Joel Embiid is undoubtedly one of the most dominant big men in present-day NBA. Stars who have crossed paths with the seven-footer are well aware of his physical strength. Embiid’s dominance once gave a 21-year-old Rockets star a tough time while the latter was kick-starting his NBA stint.

Joel Embiid once welcomed a Rockets star with a dose of NBA reality

Houston’s Jalen Green had appeared in the recent episode of?Podcast P with Paul George. Green, Paul George, and other co-hosts touched up on numerous topics pertaining to Green’s stint in the league. Minutes into the conversation, Jalen Green had to weigh in on his rookie year in the league. Paul George immediately asked the Rockets guard, “When was your welcome to the league moment.”?Green quickly recollected an experience he had with Joel Embiid.

As Jalen Green puts it, he had to guard the post many times during his rookie season. Once, while he was doing so, Green crossed paths with Joel Embiid. “When I played Philly, it was against Joel. I’m in the post. He just moved me. He pushed me. I was way skinnier. I am not saying it’s a big difference. It’s still Joel, he’s huge. And everyone’s telling me throughout the season, you got to get better at guarding the post,” Jalen Green replied to Paul George’s question.

PG-13 smilingly nodded and told the 21-year-old this how the league is, emphasizing the use of physicality in the league. Paul George and Jalen Green agreed that a bit of physicality is quite natural in the NBA at a time when players including Embiid are scrutinized for playing a physical game.

When Joel Embiid got penalized for playing a physical game

A month back, Joel Embiid drew a flagrant foul during the first-round post-season action against the Brooklyn Nets. The 76ers star kicked Nets’ Nic Claxton and got penalized, apparently. Claxton had stepped over Embiid, and the latter kicked the Nets star in retaliation. After Embiid landed in hot waters for the conduct, the then ’76ers coach ran to Embiid’s defense.

READ MORE: ?What a Terrible Thing to Say?: Angry Fans and Damian Lillard Clap Back at Joel Embiid After James Harden Take Shows Him Throwing His Teammates Under the Bus

Doc Rivers said that the officials’ decision to give the 2023 MVP a flagrant foul was totally unfair. According to Rivers, this is a problem the league has to deal with. Speaking of the league tightening the norms around physical play, Doc Rivers had also defended Draymond Green who kicked Kings’ Domantas Sabonis.

WATCH THIS STORY: 5 times Draymond Green resorted to dirty fouls that occasionally got him ejected