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Sixers' Joel Embiid Embraces Dan Burke Hiring, Despite Comments From Last Season

Last season, Pacers Assistant Coach didn't have anything nice to say about Joel Embiid and the Sixers. This year, Burke joins the staff and Embiid pokes fun at the hiring.

Justin Grasso

A critical game Eastern Conference battle in late November of 2019 ticked off longtime NBA assistant, Dan Burke. The 61-year-old defensive-minded assistant was in his 19th year as a coach with the Indiana Pacers, backing then head coach Nate McMillan. 

At the time, the Pacers were facing the Sixers in Philly -- and the game went down to the wire. After a tight fourth quarter battle, the 76ers came out on top with a 119-116 victory over Indiana in front of their home crowd.

A few days later, Burke was asked about the game, and the veteran assistant didn't hold back from expressing his dislike for the Philadelphia 76ers. "I hate that team," Burke told FOX Sports. "I think [Joel] Embiid gets away with a bunch of crap the league ignores."

Funny enough, Burke has joined the 76ers' coaching staff a year later and will help Embiid out on the defensive side of the ball for the 2020-2021 season. Embiid and the Sixers might've shrugged off the comments last season, but now the Sixers' big man is embracing Burke and, of course, trolled on Twitter following the announcement of the hire. 

"Yes sir!!!" Embiid said as he quote tweeted the report. "Now we can enjoy together what the league lets me get away with #PhillyForever." The Sixers become Burke's third organization since he started working in the NBA back in the late 80s. 

He first became a video coordinator and a scout for the Portland Trail Blazers and did that for eight seasons. Following his time in Portland, Burke joined the Pacers' coaching staff, where he spent 19 long seasons before joining Doc Rivers' staff in Philly ahead of the 2020-2021 NBA season. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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