“This Is Just An Excuse To Get Knocked Out”: Former NBA Champion Blasts Joel Embiid For Orlando Bubble Concerns

Many NBA players have tested positive for the coronavirus and have backed out of the Orlando bubble. Despite agreeing to play in the return initially, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is now skeptical of the whole bubble.

While speaking to reporters on a zoom call, Embiid said he “hated the idea” of the bubble. Then he talked about the health concerns. “All I want to be is, you know, stay healthy and stay safe, keep the people around me safe. I want to make sure I’m able to live for a long time and not have any sort of, I don’t know, consequences in the future.”

This has irked former NBA champion, Kendrick Perkins, who blasted Embiid on ESPN’s First Take.

Perkins asks Joel Embiid if he wants to hoop or not

“Do you want to hoop or not? I don’t hear none of the other contenders complain,” Perkins said. “To me, this is just an excuse to get knocked out, this is going to be excused because the superstar was halfway here, his mettle wasn’t there. ‘Oh, I’m complaining, I don’t know. I don’t like that idea.’ Go down there and hoop! I ain’t trying to hear that man. That’s a billion-dollar bubble!”

Millions across the globe are affected by the virus and many have lost their lives to it too. So Embiid’s concerns are justified. During the call, he also mentioned that he is playing because he doesn’t want to let the city of Philadelphia down. “I’m not going to let the city down. I’m going to go represent my city — that’s what I’ve always done — my family and my teammates.” 

Embiid wasn’t the first player to be concerned about the bubble and how other players would behave inside. Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard had talked about this earlier. “My confidence ain’t great because you’re telling me you’re gonna have 22 teams full of players following all the rules? When we have 100 percent freedom, everybody doesn’t follow all the rules.”