Joel Embiid Gives Us an A+ Celebration and an A+ Explanation: TRAINA THOUGHTS

Joel Embiid goes all Degeneration X after scoring wild bucket.

1. Regular Traina Thoughts readers know we love celebrations. The more outrageous, the better. The more disrespectful, the better. The more original, the better.

So we want to give Joel Embiid a big hug this morning after he gave us a celebration Wednesday night that also paid homage to a couple of WWE superstars.

In the second quarter of the Sixers’ Game 2 win against the Wizards, Embiid took a nifty pass from Ben Simmons at the free throw line and soared toward the hoop for a running scoop shot while getting fouled.

After the shot was made, Embiid, laying on the ground, performed a series of gyrating hip thrusts combined with a hand gesture very familiar to WWE fans.

The celebration is actually better in GIF form.

No, this was not a tribute to Hump Day. After the game, Embiid explained the celebration was a tribute to WWE’s crotch-chopping Degeneration X.

We’re sure Shawn Michaels and Triple H are very proud of Embiid this morning, and rightfully so.

2. A fresh, brand-new episode of the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast dropped Thursday morning. 

First up is Peter Schrager from NFL Network's Good Morning Football. Schrager discusses the Aaron Rodgers situation and predicts Rodgers won't be back in Green Bay. 

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We also talked about Tom Brady as an NFL media personality when he retires and what the best role would be for him. Other topics include Schrager's new podcast, Flying Coach, with Rams coach Sean McVay; NFL offensive linemen chugging beer at various sporting events; and Brady's run-in with Larry David. We also power rank Memorial Day, 4th of July and Labor Day.

Following Schrager, Golf Digest's Daniel Rapaport joins the podcast to talk about the Brooks Koepka–Bryson DeChambeau feud and the leaked video of Koepka that went viral following the PGA Championship. Rapaport also talks about his job as the "Tiger Woods Whisperer" and what covering Tiger is like.

You can listen to the podcast below or download it on Apple, Spotify and Stitcher.

3. Speaking of the Koepka-DeChambeau feud I discussed with Rapaport on the SI Media Podcast, it continued Wednesday after TNT announced its next installment of The Match would take place July 6 and pit DeChambeau and Rodgers against Brady and Phil Mickelson.

@BKoepka It’s nice to be living rent free in your head!

— Bryson DeChambeau (@b_dechambeau) May 26, 2021

4. Who knows whether Brady handles any of his social media or if his team runs it completely? Personally, I'd like to think Brady has better things to do than be on Twitter and make memes during the day, but if this was indeed Brady's own work after The Match was announced, then we should all just bow down to the GOAT.

pic.twitter.com/2VSwR4vm06

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) May 26, 2021

5. In the least surprising news ever, sports viewership is bouncing back as the pandemic wanes.

6. I don't know anything about crypto, but Paul Pierce says he's just fine without ESPN, who fired Pierce last month thanks to it.

.@espn I don’t need you. I got @ethereum_max I made more money with this crypto in the past month then I did with y’all in a year. TRUTH shall set u Free 🤪🤪 my own Bosshttps://t.co/3irnuWYve3 check it out for yourself

— Paul Pierce (@paulpierce34) May 26, 2021

7. RANDOM VIDEO OF THE DAY: It was 25 years ago today that Scott Hall invaded WCW's Monday Night Nitro to kick off one of the most important story lines in wrestling history.

Be sure to catch up on past editions of Traina Thoughts and check out the Sports Illustrated Media Podcast hosted by Jimmy Traina on Apple, Spotify or Stitcher. You can also follow Jimmy on Twitter and Instagram.