Sixers’ Joel Embiid’s Leadership Called Out by Rival Head Coach After All-Star Game

Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Though he nearly missed the All-Star Game to heal his foot, Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid ambled onto the pregame draft stage. Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long to hear his name called.

With the first selection among All-Star starters, Lakers star LeBron James selected Embiid, choosing the Sixers big over reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and a slew of other players named outright starters (Embiid, one may recall, was elevated to the starting group as an injury addition).

The game itself was an offensive explosion, with Embiid’s team falling short of Giannis Antetokoumpo‘s squad 184-175.

But that lack of defense had little to do with Embiid. According to Nuggets head coach Mike Malone, who coached Embiid during the game, the Sixers center was actively trying to get the rest of his team to step up on that end of the floor.

“It’s an honor to be here to be a part of a great weekend, great players, but that is the worst basketball game ever played,” Malone said after the game. “I don’t know if you can fix it. I mean, I give Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, those guys were like competing. Joel was imploring some of the guys to play harder and to try to get some defense in. No one got hurt, put on a show for the fans, but that was a tough game to sit through. I’m not gonna lie.”

Embiid stood out defensively, as well, backing up his demands to teammates. The former Kansas Jayhawk recorded seven rebounds, one steal, and one block.

Embiid’s Leadership Praised by Sixers’ Tyrese Maxey

Malone isn’t the only one who marveled at Embiid’s leadership. Tyrese Maxey, the Sixers’ third-year rising star, recalled that Embiid was one of the first to hype up the former Kentucky Wildcat.

“I’ll say this, man … it’s funny because Joel was probably one of the first players and people in our organization that really believed in me,” Maxey said on RJ Hampton’s The Young Person Basketball Podcast, footage of which was given exclusively to Liberty Ballers.

Much has changed over Maxey’s first three seasons. After a late first-round selection in the 2021 draft, Maxey was hardly the finisher he’s developed into over the last two seasons. Nonetheless, Embiid saw something in Maxey, a moment that the guard has not quickly forgotten.

“I just remember him telling me after like the first or second game of my rookie year, me not playing as much, he was like, ‘You’re going to be special. I believe in you …’ I just really appreciate him for that because when the big dog got you under his wing it’s like your confidence goes to another level,” Maxey said.

Embiid was spot on. In his first season, Maxey was seeing just 15 minutes of action a night, scoring 8.0 points on 30.1% from three. In his two seasons since then, Maxey’s seen a minutes explosion (34.5 minutes per game), and his shooting has strongly developed (18.2 points per game on 41% from three).

Maxey Opens Up About Offensive Struggles

Though he’s far outplayed that late-round selection, Maxey’s third season has been something of a step back. A foot injury derailed Maxey’s excellent start, forcing him out for almost all of December.

And in his first games back following the injury, Maxey’s form clearly struggled. Prior to the injury, Maxey was shooting over 40% from three. In his few games back in December, that rate plummeted to 33%.

Slowly but surely, however, Maxey has settled into his new role as a bench-unit sparkplug for the Sixers. And two weeks ago, Maxey explained how he’s feeling a few months removed from the injury.

“Yeah, I feel good, I feel better,” Maxey said, per Dave Early of Liberty Ballers. “I had a rough past week, mentally, didn’t play well. I had a conversation with my parents yesterday for about an hour-and-a-half and you know, I kind of got all the emotions out that I needed to get out.”

The Sixers hit the floor again Thursday night against the Memphis Grizzlies.