Joel Embiid was benched in Team USA’s win over South Sudan. Here’s how his coach and others reacted.
Embiid became the second high-profile player to sit out the full 40 minutes after NBA champion Jayson Tatum didn't play against Serbia.
Moments before Team USA played South Sudan, the starting lineup for their Olympic pool-round game was released and 76ers star Joel Embiid was noticeably absent.
He would remain absent. Embiid became the second high-profile player to register a DNP in the Olympic Games in Paris. And while Embiid had struggled, only days before Steve Kerr had referred to the MVP center as part of Team USA’s big three — along with Stephen Curry and LeBron James.
Before Embiid spent 40 minutes on the sideline, NBA champion Jayson Tatum was relegated to cheering on teammates from the bench against Serbia.
Now it was Embiid’s turn.
As Dwyane Wade and Noah Eagle noted during the NBC broadcast, Embiid took it well. He entered the arena to boos but decided to play to the crowd. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards took the more direct approach on his behalf. “You got Wemby and Rudy; why would he play with y’all?” Edwards said, according to BasketNews. Edwards was referring to France’s Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert. “Wemby and Rudy, what more do y’all want? You want three 7-footers?”
Once on the sideline, Embiid actively rooted for teammates to play well. “Some people are going to look at it and say, ‘Joel Embiid didn’t play,’” Wade said. “Well how about, ‘Joel Embiid is getting a little rest’?… If you can sit & rest for a little bit, it’s not a bad thing at all.”
But that didn’t mean Kerr wouldn’t face questions after Team USA’s 103-86 victory. Kerr said he sat Embiid to account for South Sudan’s speed, according to the Washington Post’s Ben Golliver. But Embiid is expected to be back in the starting lineup against Puerto Rico on Friday.
While Kerr didn’t speak at length about the decision to sit Embiid, Durant added more context. He also addressed Tatum sitting out, suggesting that this setting will mean some stars have to sit.
“Last game, we had a champion and an all-NBA guy not play any minutes,” Durant told reporters, “and tonight we had an MVP not play any minutes. They didn’t complain. We had guys who stepped up and filled those roles perfectly.”