76ers Star Joel Embiid Pokes Fun at Popular Social Media Narrative

Joel Embiid had a little fun with a popular social media narrative on Monday.

Sep 30, 2024; Camden, NJ, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) poses for a photo on media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

As someone who refers to himself as “Troel” from time to time, it’s safe to say that Joel Embiid is well aware of the trolling game within NBA social media spaces.

The Philadelphia 76ers center has likely seen the thousands of shots taken at him for being a top-tier NBA talent without a major title to show for.

During his annual Media Day appearance on Monday, Embiid poked fun at the narrative as he’s fresh off of winning a gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

“It was fun winning,” said the veteran center. “I finally won something. I finally got to the Conference Finals, and I won something, so that was fun,” he said with a smile.

Embiid’s journey in Paris came right after a disappointing exit in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. After defeating the Miami Heat in the NBA Play-In Tournament, the Sixers locked in with a first-round series against the second-seeded New York Knicks.

At the time, Embiid was fresh off of knee surgery and dealing with health concerns beyond his knee recovery. While he pushed through the setbacks and was a big help in his team’s two wins, the Sixers fell short against New York, losing 4-2 in six games.

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With the gold medal-winning Team USA squad, Embiid had a chance to rinse the bad taste of an early exit out of his mouth. Now, he’s confident in his team’s revamped roster as they gear up for another season.

“I really have a lot of confidence in these guys,” Embiid said about the Sixers’ roster while referring to himself as a decoy. “Allow them to just be themselves and be good at what they do best.”

The one-time MVP found motivation in hunting for solo accolades in the past. This year, Embiid plans to wipe his slate clean and simply chase a title win. If getting past the NBA’s Conference Finals requires the star center to play off guys like Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, then Embiid seems more than willing to share the rock this year.