WEBVTT - Embiid Wins Gold! 0:00:49.259 --> 0:00:51.539 I'm Tari's mex Si and you're listening to the seventy 0:00:51.579 --> 0:00:53.419 six Ers Insider's podcast. 0:00:53.699 --> 0:00:56.619 This podcast is part of the seventy six Ers podcast network, 0:00:56.659 --> 0:00:58.459 presented by Stern and Cohen Law. 0:00:58.299 --> 0:01:01.299 Search seventy six Ers Insiders wherever you get your podcasts. 0:01:01.659 --> 0:01:04.419 Suffering an injury at work can cause physical pain, but 0:01:04.499 --> 0:01:07.659 also great uncertainty about your rights. You need to retain 0:01:07.699 --> 0:01:10.419 a worker's compensation law firm that is a winner like 0:01:10.499 --> 0:01:13.379 our sixers, a firm that gets some of the best settlements, 0:01:13.459 --> 0:01:15.539 but is also willing to go toe to toe with 0:01:15.659 --> 0:01:19.379 the insurance company. No settling on the cheap. This is Philly. 0:01:19.539 --> 0:01:21.939 We have grit and fight in us. Call the workers 0:01:22.019 --> 0:01:25.259 Compensation law firm of Stern and Cohen or visit their 0:01:25.299 --> 0:01:29.779 site Sterncohenlaw dot com. The consultation is free. Stern and 0:01:29.819 --> 0:01:32.539 Cohen are the official partners of the seventy six Ers. 0:01:32.819 --> 0:01:44.059 They'll go ring the insurance company's bell. All right, Welcome 0:01:44.059 --> 0:01:46.779 back to the seventy six Ers Insiders podcast. Matver B 0:01:46.819 --> 0:01:49.699 and Lauren Rosen are so excited we are to talk 0:01:49.739 --> 0:01:54.259 about Joel Embiid winning a gold medal with Team USA. 0:01:54.339 --> 0:01:57.739 Our reaction pod will include some high level takeaways from 0:01:57.819 --> 0:02:00.979 the tournament. It will also dive a little bit deeper 0:02:01.019 --> 0:02:04.819 into his best performance in the semi finals to help 0:02:04.899 --> 0:02:07.739 will Team USA to the gold medal game when they 0:02:07.739 --> 0:02:10.779 beat Serbia and got to the matchup with France. So 0:02:10.819 --> 0:02:13.699 we'll go into that talk about some of the teammates 0:02:13.699 --> 0:02:16.019 that he had as they supported each other all the 0:02:16.019 --> 0:02:19.899 way through the Paris finale. So we've got a lot 0:02:19.939 --> 0:02:24.059 to catch up on, Lauren, But it was just awesome 0:02:24.659 --> 0:02:28.019 to see Joel Embiid with Team USA up there on 0:02:28.059 --> 0:02:32.739 the podium after winning the gold against France. What were 0:02:32.779 --> 0:02:35.299 some of your high level takeaways? 0:02:35.699 --> 0:02:37.299 Hi, Matt, So good to be with you. 0:02:37.459 --> 0:02:40.699 I think for me, watching Joel go through this entire 0:02:40.859 --> 0:02:45.219 experience was really special because it didn't come without resistance. 0:02:45.499 --> 0:02:48.059 Right when you're Joel Embiid, you know that your off 0:02:48.059 --> 0:02:49.859 seasons are extremely valuable. 0:02:49.899 --> 0:02:52.419 So to make the decision to play and to put your. 0:02:52.339 --> 0:02:56.179 Body through high level basketball for a long. 0:02:55.979 --> 0:02:56.579 Period of time. 0:02:56.619 --> 0:02:59.499 Remember this team was together for about five weeks playing 0:02:59.539 --> 0:03:00.939 competitively around the world. 0:03:00.979 --> 0:03:04.059 So to choose to do that, to choose to play 0:03:04.099 --> 0:03:06.219 for the United States and double. 0:03:05.939 --> 0:03:09.619 Down on that a few times again meeting resistance and 0:03:09.939 --> 0:03:12.779 pushing through it, and then to meet resistance in the 0:03:12.819 --> 0:03:17.299 games themselves and push through that, right, figuring out how 0:03:17.339 --> 0:03:20.859 to play at a different rhythm with different rules, figuring 0:03:20.859 --> 0:03:23.619 out how to play in a win or go home situation. 0:03:23.699 --> 0:03:25.699 And we're going to talk about this more in a 0:03:25.699 --> 0:03:26.099 little bit. 0:03:26.099 --> 0:03:29.019 But Joel's played in game sevens, right, but he's never 0:03:29.059 --> 0:03:33.219 played besides I guess, let's say the play in tournament 0:03:33.299 --> 0:03:36.619 this past season in a winner take all, win or 0:03:36.659 --> 0:03:40.139 go home type situation, with the stakes as high as 0:03:40.139 --> 0:03:42.259 they were. Right, with the play in tournament, it was 0:03:42.299 --> 0:03:45.339 an opportunity to get in to another tournament. 0:03:45.419 --> 0:03:46.859 It wasn't and it wasn't a. 0:03:46.779 --> 0:03:48.539 Win or go home actually because they would have played 0:03:48.539 --> 0:03:50.619 another game, So toss that out the window. 0:03:50.939 --> 0:03:51.899 But the opportunity to. 0:03:52.099 --> 0:03:56.259 Well game sevens game seven's too in the playoffs, correct. 0:03:55.819 --> 0:03:58.459 But to win in advance is He's never been in 0:03:58.459 --> 0:04:01.019 a game seven in a finals, right, He's never been 0:04:01.019 --> 0:04:04.779 in a win and win goal, win and win the 0:04:04.819 --> 0:04:08.779 title type of game before. And to also the last 0:04:08.779 --> 0:04:12.219 point I'll make about meeting resistance right, finding a way 0:04:12.419 --> 0:04:15.459 to be relied upon by this team specifically because when 0:04:15.459 --> 0:04:18.979 you look across the team, everyone with a couple exceptions 0:04:19.099 --> 0:04:21.459 of guys who are teammates in the NBA, but everyone's 0:04:21.499 --> 0:04:23.619 the best player on their team, right, So now you're 0:04:23.659 --> 0:04:25.259 together and all of a sudden, you're not the best 0:04:25.299 --> 0:04:27.659 player on the team, or you're not the highest usage 0:04:27.659 --> 0:04:31.299 player on your team. So how do you meet that resistance? 0:04:31.579 --> 0:04:34.339 Push through it, find a way to make these other 0:04:34.379 --> 0:04:38.139 guys look better, find a way to exploit opportunity when 0:04:38.179 --> 0:04:40.619 you get it. For me, just sort of on a personal, 0:04:40.659 --> 0:04:44.819 professional basketball human level, this just had to be the 0:04:44.819 --> 0:04:48.899 most meaningful experience and had to be something that is 0:04:49.219 --> 0:04:52.179 going to make Joel Embid a better basketball player for 0:04:52.219 --> 0:04:53.579 the seventy six ers. 0:04:53.379 --> 0:04:57.219 Moving forward, we're going to talk about specific moments, are 0:04:57.939 --> 0:05:02.099 major moments if you will, from the tournament specifically related 0:05:02.139 --> 0:05:06.339 to Joel Embiid in just a moment. But to the 0:05:06.379 --> 0:05:09.899 point about levels, how about the level of competition, like 0:05:10.739 --> 0:05:14.859 worldwide basketball has been growing, so these other teams are 0:05:14.899 --> 0:05:19.339 getting better, And a huge difference from Joel's NBA career 0:05:19.659 --> 0:05:24.419 and playoff moments is that this Team USA venture is 0:05:24.459 --> 0:05:28.219 sort of a thankless one in many respects because it's 0:05:28.219 --> 0:05:31.139 their fifth straight gold medal. Now for the men's team, 0:05:31.179 --> 0:05:34.459 by the way, shout out to the US women's basketball 0:05:34.459 --> 0:05:38.699 team for winning their eighth straight gold medal. Absolutely also 0:05:38.779 --> 0:05:42.739 against France, two incredible finals in France. 0:05:43.139 --> 0:05:44.899 So it's just it was cinema. 0:05:45.499 --> 0:05:48.499 But the thankless part of it is you're expected to 0:05:48.499 --> 0:05:50.299 win the gold metal every time when you put on 0:05:50.339 --> 0:05:52.619 the team USA uniform. So for Steve Kerr and the 0:05:52.659 --> 0:05:55.939 coaching staff, and for Joel Embiid and these Hall of 0:05:55.979 --> 0:05:59.659 Fame players that he is surrounded by, they were expected 0:05:59.899 --> 0:06:03.259 to do this while the other countries are getting a 0:06:03.299 --> 0:06:06.619 lot better and the US, I mean they were just 0:06:06.779 --> 0:06:10.379 they shot forty six percent from three as a team 0:06:10.659 --> 0:06:13.819 in the games, and they averaged one hundred and five points, 0:06:13.859 --> 0:06:17.379 which was eleven points more than the second best scoring 0:06:17.379 --> 0:06:20.379 team in Serbia, which is a game that we're going 0:06:20.419 --> 0:06:21.099 to talk about. 0:06:21.139 --> 0:06:22.699 But Joel averaged eleven. 0:06:22.339 --> 0:06:26.579 Point two points per game against this pretty high, high 0:06:26.659 --> 0:06:30.259 level of competition with so many great teammates. Steph Curry 0:06:30.299 --> 0:06:34.059 ends up with fourteen point eight points. Lebron was amazing 0:06:34.139 --> 0:06:36.979 fourteen almost seven rebounds a game and eight and a 0:06:37.019 --> 0:06:40.099 half assists per game. So playing with these types of 0:06:40.139 --> 0:06:42.819 players how well do you think Joelle held his own 0:06:42.899 --> 0:06:45.259 and how do you feel about him ending with eleven 0:06:45.459 --> 0:06:47.459 point two points per game on this roster? 0:06:47.939 --> 0:06:51.339 Sounds pretty good, especially considering the criticism he was getting 0:06:51.379 --> 0:06:54.299 early on in his tenure with Team USA, and again 0:06:54.299 --> 0:06:57.139 as a reminder, he Steph Curry among others, it's their 0:06:57.139 --> 0:07:00.539 first time playing in this sort of environment, and hopefully 0:07:00.699 --> 0:07:02.859 for both of those guys that I mentioned, Joelle and Steph, 0:07:02.899 --> 0:07:05.819 it's not their last, but learning to acclimate to a 0:07:05.859 --> 0:07:09.139 completely different set of rules and a completely different. 0:07:08.819 --> 0:07:09.859 Style of play. 0:07:10.259 --> 0:07:12.739 I'm always fascinated by the fact that I've never held 0:07:12.779 --> 0:07:15.859 an international basketball, but I need to because the way 0:07:15.899 --> 0:07:17.139 that guys talk about. 0:07:16.899 --> 0:07:19.059 How the grip is so different and how it's. 0:07:19.299 --> 0:07:23.219 Allegedly much slipper or is the international ball. So when 0:07:23.219 --> 0:07:27.499 you're someone like Joel Embiid who's extremely sweaty all the time, right, 0:07:27.899 --> 0:07:31.059 that type of thing, and I'm not even being facetious, 0:07:31.099 --> 0:07:34.499 like that really changes the way that you have to play, 0:07:34.579 --> 0:07:37.099 the way that you have to move your hands, move 0:07:37.139 --> 0:07:39.419 your arms, the pressure that you're putting on the ball. 0:07:39.619 --> 0:07:41.059 And that's just one example, right. 0:07:40.899 --> 0:07:43.659 That's before you even look at the differences in rules, 0:07:43.739 --> 0:07:45.979 the differences in what's a foul and what's not, the 0:07:46.059 --> 0:07:50.179 differences in officiating. So he had a learning did joellenbiid 0:07:50.459 --> 0:07:52.379 to get to the point where he could make the 0:07:52.459 --> 0:07:55.339 impact that he made in those elimination games that resulted 0:07:55.699 --> 0:07:58.179 in the gold medal, And so watching him make those 0:07:58.219 --> 0:08:01.499 adjustments in real time, watching him get comfortable, watching him 0:08:01.579 --> 0:08:05.219 round into form, and again in just his first experience 0:08:05.299 --> 0:08:08.739 with USA basketball, next time he puts on that uniform, 0:08:09.059 --> 0:08:11.099 the learning curve is going to be shorter, It's not 0:08:11.139 --> 0:08:14.779 going to be nearly as steep. So I'm looking forward 0:08:14.819 --> 0:08:17.579 to seeing what he continues to do in these situations. 0:08:18.379 --> 0:08:23.299 About the basketball really quickly, please, We've known for years 0:08:23.339 --> 0:08:28.859 now that the NBA basketball, the sweatier it gets, the 0:08:29.419 --> 0:08:34.179 more grip you get. Whereas the announcers were saying in 0:08:34.179 --> 0:08:37.539 international play, the sweatier the basketball gets, the harder it 0:08:37.619 --> 0:08:40.339 is to shoot with and pass with, Dwayne Wade was 0:08:40.379 --> 0:08:42.619 saying that sometimes the ball on a jump shot can 0:08:42.659 --> 0:08:44.659 even slide right out of your hands. 0:08:45.419 --> 0:08:47.659 So that would be a key difference. 0:08:48.259 --> 0:08:52.499 And the rule surrounding what constitutes need for a new 0:08:52.579 --> 0:08:56.779 ball is different in the NBA versus overseas, right, And 0:08:56.819 --> 0:08:58.899 you know, but you hear stories all over the place 0:08:58.899 --> 0:09:02.819 about Lebron James's preferences with balls and starting the starting 0:09:02.819 --> 0:09:04.819 the game with the same ball that you finish it 0:09:04.859 --> 0:09:07.459 with versus swapping it out. And if it gets wet 0:09:07.539 --> 0:09:09.699 or if a drink spills on it, how is that 0:09:09.739 --> 0:09:11.979 different from if it's sweaty, and when do you bring 0:09:12.019 --> 0:09:14.019 out the towel to wipe it down. It's just these 0:09:14.019 --> 0:09:16.499 little intricacies that you think about a little bit during 0:09:16.539 --> 0:09:18.299 the course of an eighty two game season, but are 0:09:18.379 --> 0:09:22.539 so much more meaningful in a March Madness style winner 0:09:22.579 --> 0:09:28.499 take all tournament with people playing for Not every NBA 0:09:28.539 --> 0:09:30.499 player plays for the city they're from. In fact, very 0:09:30.539 --> 0:09:34.059 few do, right, So for these guys to be playing 0:09:34.059 --> 0:09:37.579 for their country, caring so much, and also playing under 0:09:37.619 --> 0:09:39.659 a different set of rules, that to me was sort 0:09:39.699 --> 0:09:42.499 of the subplot that I loved watching, figuring out how 0:09:42.499 --> 0:09:44.779 the guys would adjust, figuring out how the game then 0:09:44.859 --> 0:09:48.659 ended up looking different stylistically based on what gives you 0:09:48.699 --> 0:09:50.779 an advantage in the NBA and what gives you an 0:09:50.779 --> 0:09:55.299 advantage overseas. That was the subplot that I enjoyed the most. 0:09:55.499 --> 0:09:57.579 Shout out to Kyle Lowry for that playing for your 0:09:57.579 --> 0:10:00.379 hometown team, also a pass gold medal winner, and then 0:10:00.459 --> 0:10:03.499 he parlayed that a couple of years later into an 0:10:03.619 --> 0:10:07.419 NBA championship. So Sixers fans are out there are hoping 0:10:07.459 --> 0:10:09.739 that Joel Embi can do the same type of thing, 0:10:09.779 --> 0:10:14.139 a gold followed by an NBA title. And before we 0:10:14.219 --> 0:10:17.859 select our major moments, I am putting you on the 0:10:17.859 --> 0:10:22.259 spot related to the rules. Is there something from the 0:10:22.259 --> 0:10:24.739 international game that you'd like to see the NBA adopt. 0:10:24.779 --> 0:10:28.819 Would you want some of the no goaltend type play 0:10:28.859 --> 0:10:32.499 because watching lehmbin Yama, n MB and others be able 0:10:32.539 --> 0:10:34.739 to just knock the ball off the rim, to me, 0:10:35.019 --> 0:10:38.139 would seemingly improve the NBA product. 0:10:39.099 --> 0:10:41.499 Yeah, I love that, and I love the way that 0:10:41.539 --> 0:10:42.859 they adjusted to it right. 0:10:43.579 --> 0:10:46.299 And then just the just. 0:10:46.499 --> 0:10:49.739 The difference in what I'll leave it here, difference in 0:10:49.819 --> 0:10:53.419 what constitutes a common foul in the NBA game versus 0:10:53.459 --> 0:10:57.619 what constitutes a common foul in the FOBA game. I 0:10:57.819 --> 0:11:03.179 prefer the opportunity to continue playing in the FOBA game. 0:11:03.299 --> 0:11:05.059 That's what I observed in this situation. 0:11:05.139 --> 0:11:07.579 And I know that during different tournaments, files have been 0:11:07.579 --> 0:11:09.779 called differently. I'm not an expert on FIBA, but in 0:11:09.819 --> 0:11:12.339 this tournament, it felt like they were really playing through 0:11:12.379 --> 0:11:15.019 a lot and for me, I enjoy watching. 0:11:14.699 --> 0:11:17.219 That for a variety of reasons. 0:11:17.219 --> 0:11:22.339 It was just a really enjoyable product, and a really 0:11:22.459 --> 0:11:27.099 enjoyable moment happened in the semi final. 0:11:27.299 --> 0:11:30.699 So with that, what was your major moment? 0:11:31.659 --> 0:11:34.259 So I sort of alluded to it in my little 0:11:34.259 --> 0:11:38.859 opening ramble. But the situation that Team USA found itself 0:11:38.859 --> 0:11:43.259 in in the semi final game versus Serbia, down throughout 0:11:43.619 --> 0:11:48.259 throughout the third quarter, down double figures often in that game, 0:11:48.339 --> 0:11:53.259 Serbia was out playing the US in those first three quarters, 0:11:53.979 --> 0:11:57.259 notably the first quarter. Obviously they got off to a big, 0:11:57.699 --> 0:12:00.379 hot start, but then went on to lead by double 0:12:00.379 --> 0:12:05.259 figures in the third. I think watching Joel understand where 0:12:05.379 --> 0:12:08.699 he was going to be most effective and how to 0:12:08.899 --> 0:12:12.379 compliment the other guys as opposed to lead the group. 0:12:12.499 --> 0:12:15.659 Right over these last five six seven years on the 0:12:15.699 --> 0:12:18.659 seventy six ers, he is the focal point. Everything runs 0:12:18.659 --> 0:12:21.859 through Joel Embiid on offense and on defense, as. 0:12:21.699 --> 0:12:24.539 It should, but in this situation. 0:12:24.219 --> 0:12:26.779 It was really hard to argue against running things through 0:12:26.859 --> 0:12:29.659 Lebron James, through Kevin Durant, through Steph Curry. 0:12:30.059 --> 0:12:30.819 I cracked up. 0:12:30.739 --> 0:12:33.339 At Anthony Edward saying that Steph Curry showed up exactly 0:12:33.379 --> 0:12:35.019 the right time. But by the time they were in 0:12:35.059 --> 0:12:38.459 that Serbia game, you couldn't argue with the thirty six 0:12:38.499 --> 0:12:39.819 point performance. 0:12:39.339 --> 0:12:40.939 That Steph was on his way to right. 0:12:41.019 --> 0:12:43.699 You knew that the end of that game was going 0:12:43.739 --> 0:12:46.219 to run through Steph Curry. You knew it had to 0:12:46.259 --> 0:12:48.579 run through Lebron James as he put together a triple 0:12:48.619 --> 0:12:52.259 double throughout that game. Joel watching and saying, Okay, I'm 0:12:52.299 --> 0:12:56.259 Joel Embiid. I have this incredible skill set and it's 0:12:56.339 --> 0:12:59.499 going to be incredibly useful down the stretch here. I'm 0:12:59.499 --> 0:13:02.979 going to insert myself strategically. I know how to play 0:13:03.059 --> 0:13:05.979 against Nikola Jokic. I know what I am going to 0:13:06.059 --> 0:13:09.419 do and how I can also set up Lebron James 0:13:09.419 --> 0:13:12.779 and Steph Curry. So watching Joel in a win or 0:13:12.779 --> 0:13:14.739 go home situation, we said it, there haven't been that 0:13:14.819 --> 0:13:15.739 many in his career. 0:13:15.859 --> 0:13:16.739 We're talking Game. 0:13:16.579 --> 0:13:20.139 Seven's elimination games in the playoffs, but the opportunity to 0:13:20.219 --> 0:13:23.579 advance to a championship is not something that he's experienced before. Right, 0:13:23.619 --> 0:13:25.539 So not only is it win or go home, it's 0:13:25.659 --> 0:13:29.059 win and advance to a championship. Now, how do I, 0:13:29.179 --> 0:13:32.699 Joel Embiid, decide where my spots are? How do I 0:13:32.739 --> 0:13:34.899 be as efficient as possible so I can end my 0:13:35.019 --> 0:13:37.179 night eight for eleven from the field and two for 0:13:37.339 --> 0:13:40.579 three from three? How do I make sure that I 0:13:40.619 --> 0:13:43.259 am giving as much space to Lebron James and Steph 0:13:43.259 --> 0:13:46.619 Curry as he is absolutely cooking as I possibly can. 0:13:46.739 --> 0:13:49.859 It's just so much newness and to watch him the newness, 0:13:50.819 --> 0:13:53.819 show the humility it took to be a supporting cast 0:13:53.859 --> 0:13:57.819 member but really exploit the holes. 0:13:57.459 --> 0:13:58.979 That Serbia was giving him. 0:13:59.139 --> 0:14:01.939 It was just cool to watch him adjust, develop and 0:14:02.059 --> 0:14:04.619 grow in that ten or fifteen minute period in the 0:14:04.659 --> 0:14:08.619 second half against Servia that proved so consequential for this team. 0:14:08.979 --> 0:14:10.059 And then I know we're going to talk about the 0:14:10.139 --> 0:14:12.299 qualitative off court stuff and the way that those guys 0:14:12.299 --> 0:14:14.539 that we've now mentioned embraced. 0:14:14.099 --> 0:14:15.579 Joelle as a result of his play. 0:14:15.899 --> 0:14:19.379 But watching him in a pressure situation unlike any situation 0:14:19.419 --> 0:14:22.539 he's ever been in, watching him read the game, figure 0:14:22.539 --> 0:14:24.939 out where he was going to be most helpful and 0:14:24.979 --> 0:14:27.179 then execute nearly perfectly. 0:14:27.699 --> 0:14:30.459 It was just really really cool to watch. 0:14:30.179 --> 0:14:33.219 As someone that's super familiar with his game and his mindset, 0:14:33.699 --> 0:14:35.339 it was really cool to watch him. 0:14:35.219 --> 0:14:38.539 See what was needed execute. It was just, yeah, it 0:14:38.579 --> 0:14:39.379 was spectacular. 0:14:47.099 --> 0:14:51.459 Serbia was the double digit seed college team, if you will, 0:14:51.539 --> 0:14:54.059 that sort of gets the arena going when there's a 0:14:54.059 --> 0:14:58.499 potential upset on the line. Embiid with the French fans, 0:14:58.539 --> 0:15:01.539 that's been well documented, so that was all happening and 0:15:01.659 --> 0:15:04.579 Joel rose to the occasion against the team that yes 0:15:04.619 --> 0:15:09.499 features Nikola Jokic, a multi time MVP and one of 0:15:09.539 --> 0:15:11.939 his rivals at the NBA level, but the rest of 0:15:11.979 --> 0:15:14.459 the team was raining threes for much of the early 0:15:14.539 --> 0:15:17.179 game and had so much momentum and kind of that 0:15:17.299 --> 0:15:21.219 nothing to lose type attitude, where Embiid and the US 0:15:21.259 --> 0:15:24.219 had the opposite of that. He finishes with nineteen points 0:15:24.259 --> 0:15:26.659 in just twenty seven minutes. You gave the shooting totals 0:15:26.939 --> 0:15:29.099 good to see him hit a couple of threes, and 0:15:29.179 --> 0:15:31.139 his one free throw that he took and made was 0:15:31.259 --> 0:15:35.059 huge because it was during that run. In the fourth quarter, 0:15:35.659 --> 0:15:39.939 the US after a Jokic basket, was actually down eleven. 0:15:40.019 --> 0:15:42.459 Yes, they were down more than that earlier in the game. 0:15:42.299 --> 0:15:45.739 Almost twenty points, but with eight minutes and change, actually 0:15:45.819 --> 0:15:49.499 it dipped below that. They were down eleven and Joel 0:15:50.619 --> 0:15:53.699 the team tied it up at eighty four. But Joel 0:15:53.819 --> 0:15:57.099 was part of a seven to two solo run against Serbia. 0:15:57.139 --> 0:15:59.379 He had seven straight points, including an a one that 0:15:59.419 --> 0:16:02.939 gave him the free throw and seeing Lebron James tie 0:16:02.979 --> 0:16:06.299 it up with one of his patented layups. What were 0:16:06.339 --> 0:16:09.819 you thinking during the Team USA run that Joel scored 0:16:10.739 --> 0:16:13.019 half or so of their points, seven points in the 0:16:13.059 --> 0:16:14.099 span of a couple minutes. 0:16:15.019 --> 0:16:19.339 Just pride because watching Joel throughout the course of his career, 0:16:19.539 --> 0:16:24.819 accumulating new skills, new experiences, learning to rise to the occasion, 0:16:25.779 --> 0:16:29.099 and then being put in this again, high high pressure 0:16:29.139 --> 0:16:34.219 situation surrounded by other guys that are not necessarily better 0:16:34.259 --> 0:16:37.699 basketball players than Joel Embiid, but were primary and secondary 0:16:37.739 --> 0:16:39.459 options ahead of Joel Embiid. 0:16:39.499 --> 0:16:41.819 Right, that's not a situation he's comfortable with. 0:16:42.299 --> 0:16:44.899 So watching him be able to adjust on the fly 0:16:45.579 --> 0:16:48.979 and figure out how he could be an effective compliment 0:16:49.059 --> 0:16:51.739 meant to those other guys based on what the game 0:16:51.859 --> 0:16:54.499 was giving them. I was just proud of the adjustments 0:16:54.539 --> 0:16:57.179 he was making live. It made me really really. 0:16:57.299 --> 0:16:59.939 Proud to see even like little things. 0:17:00.099 --> 0:17:03.539 And I'll get to my moment pick here, but the 0:17:03.579 --> 0:17:06.419 way you set a screen to open up Steph Curry, 0:17:06.459 --> 0:17:10.379 who's scorching hot. And Curry's almost fifteen points per game 0:17:10.459 --> 0:17:13.779 led all Team USA scores just for context of Joel's 0:17:13.859 --> 0:17:16.659 eleven points per game, and that Steph number was aided 0:17:16.659 --> 0:17:18.739 by the fact that he scored thirty six in this 0:17:18.859 --> 0:17:23.219 Serbia game and twenty four in the gold medal game 0:17:23.259 --> 0:17:27.699 against France, making seventeen threes combined, and Joel helped free 0:17:27.739 --> 0:17:31.019 him up for some of those big shots in what 0:17:31.139 --> 0:17:35.379 ultimately was a ninety five ninety one Team USA victory. 0:17:36.099 --> 0:17:39.219 My major moment relates to Curry. It relates to these 0:17:39.539 --> 0:17:42.539 teammates like Lebron that we're talking about, just the support 0:17:42.739 --> 0:17:46.899 that they gave Joel Embiid. That was the favorite thing 0:17:46.939 --> 0:17:51.579 that I saw, if you will, throughout, including on the podium, 0:17:51.819 --> 0:17:55.019 like I said, when they all stand up there together, 0:17:55.259 --> 0:17:58.059 but then when Joel was kind of egging the fans 0:17:58.139 --> 0:18:03.659 on and his teammates, none of them two important for 0:18:03.699 --> 0:18:06.779 that moment to show their support for Joel Embiid, but 0:18:07.459 --> 0:18:11.499 on the court when Steph Curry hits the shot of 0:18:11.539 --> 0:18:16.059 the games against France to go up by nine with 0:18:16.259 --> 0:18:20.859 thirty seconds left, and they're all doing the good night celebration, 0:18:22.299 --> 0:18:26.059 Joel and the rest of their squad. For me, it 0:18:26.659 --> 0:18:29.739 was that and just getting over that winning hump and 0:18:29.739 --> 0:18:33.059 being surrounded by people like Steph Curry who have won 0:18:33.179 --> 0:18:37.779 multiple championships. That was the major thing for me, is 0:18:38.339 --> 0:18:43.379 just seeing Joel in that element, in his element with 0:18:43.499 --> 0:18:46.419 those guys. He was just part of it, like a 0:18:46.499 --> 0:18:51.219 starter for a gold medal team and one of the people, 0:18:51.259 --> 0:18:54.779 in combination with Curry that helped get them to the 0:18:54.899 --> 0:18:57.379 final spectacular. 0:18:57.539 --> 0:18:59.659 I loved watching it as well. That was something that 0:18:59.659 --> 0:19:01.299 obviously stood out to me. We talked about sort of 0:19:01.299 --> 0:19:06.339 the quantitative on court stuff, but qualitatively speaking, the relationships 0:19:06.379 --> 0:19:09.499 that he built, the respect that he earned among his peers, 0:19:09.859 --> 0:19:13.099 the appreciation that he garnered from his peers, some of 0:19:13.099 --> 0:19:16.619 whom are universally considered to be among the greatest of 0:19:16.659 --> 0:19:17.179 all time. 0:19:17.579 --> 0:19:19.419 It looked like he was having fun. 0:19:19.859 --> 0:19:22.299 It looked like he was being embraced, And to me, 0:19:22.459 --> 0:19:24.299 that's all you want when you're a fan of someone 0:19:24.339 --> 0:19:26.259 who's new to a team, right, you want them to 0:19:26.299 --> 0:19:28.939 be embraced as a teammate, you want them to be appreciated. 0:19:28.979 --> 0:19:30.699 And obviously, Joelle. 0:19:30.339 --> 0:19:33.019 Has had the unique experience of being with one team 0:19:33.099 --> 0:19:35.779 for the entirety of his professional career, so to be 0:19:35.779 --> 0:19:39.419 able to step outside of his current team get to 0:19:39.459 --> 0:19:42.099 know players on this level, I can only imagine we 0:19:42.139 --> 0:19:45.979 talk a lot about people don't maybe give Joelle enough 0:19:46.019 --> 0:19:47.899 credit for the student of the game that he is, 0:19:48.019 --> 0:19:50.019 for the fact that he's always watching film, for the 0:19:50.059 --> 0:19:53.459 fact that he spends his off seasons trying to develop 0:19:53.539 --> 0:19:57.979 into Dirk, trying to put together packages from other players. 0:19:57.579 --> 0:20:00.659 And adjust them to himself and then put them in 0:20:00.699 --> 0:20:01.179 his game. 0:20:01.219 --> 0:20:03.459 I'm really curious to see what he observed from his 0:20:03.539 --> 0:20:05.819 teammates on this team that he's going to try to 0:20:05.819 --> 0:20:08.299 bring out in the twenty twenty four to twenty five 0:20:08.379 --> 0:20:10.539 NBA season, because I would imagine there are more than 0:20:10.579 --> 0:20:12.419 a few he is for. 0:20:12.419 --> 0:20:14.579 The Sixers had to be Dirk sometimes, like he told 0:20:14.659 --> 0:20:18.619 Tyrese Maxey, he's had to play different ways and he 0:20:18.659 --> 0:20:22.299 had to be something entirely else with Team USA, and 0:20:22.339 --> 0:20:24.819 now he brings that back to a Sixers team that 0:20:25.459 --> 0:20:29.059 has hopefully a future player on this stage in Tyrese 0:20:29.139 --> 0:20:31.699 Maxey on the global stage, and one from the past 0:20:31.739 --> 0:20:36.419 in Paul George, who is a nine time NBA All 0:20:36.459 --> 0:20:39.939 Star at the wing with MAXI like, you come off 0:20:39.979 --> 0:20:44.419 playing with Curry, Lebron Durant and you now have a 0:20:44.459 --> 0:20:46.499 team in the NBA that has one of the best 0:20:46.499 --> 0:20:48.419 wing players in Paul George and one of the best 0:20:48.419 --> 0:20:52.059 guards in Tyrese Maxis. So that right there is probably 0:20:52.099 --> 0:20:53.859 why it stood out to me so much, because he 0:20:53.899 --> 0:20:56.339 can bring a lot of how he just played back 0:20:56.459 --> 0:20:59.699 to the NBA season. And as we wrap up, Lauren, 0:21:00.299 --> 0:21:03.299 I know you were locked in on other events, So 0:21:04.139 --> 0:21:08.659 what were some of your non basketball takeaways from the 0:21:08.699 --> 0:21:12.619 past few weeks? Other sports, other events, We watched it all. 0:21:13.739 --> 0:21:16.299 I absolutely love the Olympics, and I love when it 0:21:16.499 --> 0:21:18.499 is timed such that I can wake up in the 0:21:18.499 --> 0:21:22.139 morning and just put it on and watch rock climbing. 0:21:22.139 --> 0:21:24.219 And someone told me what it was actually called. I 0:21:24.539 --> 0:21:25.979 don't want to mess it up, but it's not called 0:21:26.059 --> 0:21:28.899 rock climbing. There's a more technical term for what that 0:21:28.939 --> 0:21:31.779 sport is. But just watching how good these people are 0:21:31.859 --> 0:21:34.859 at what they do. Random sports, the kayaking. 0:21:35.539 --> 0:21:36.939 I loved it. The surfing. 0:21:36.979 --> 0:21:39.099 I watched so much surfing Matt Murphy for those that 0:21:39.139 --> 0:21:41.299 don't know, I grew up in gymnastics, though, and so 0:21:42.059 --> 0:21:48.139 I watched that with a particularly fine tooth comb. And 0:21:48.179 --> 0:21:52.019 I love watching the athletes that don't qualify for event finals, 0:21:52.019 --> 0:21:55.739 that don't qualify for team finals, that aren't participating in 0:21:55.819 --> 0:22:00.339