Joel Embiid has a long memory, and won’t soon forget when the surging Sixers were the “laughingstock of the whole NBA,” which makes the big fella somewhat suspicious of everyone gushing over his squad.
Embiid, 24, says he continues to hold a grudge over all the abuse Philadelphia took as they scraped the bottom of the League’s standings.
There’s a lot of positivity around the Sixers now, but Joel Embiid doesn’t forget the days when that wasn’t the case. https://t.co/1lNq19ySte
— Jessica Camerato (@JCameratoNBCS) May 2, 2018
The big fella must now help dig the Sixers out of a 1-0 series hole against the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.
Per NBC Sports Philly:
“My mindset has always been, three, four years ago, no one was around, no one was talking about us,” Embiid said after practice Wednesday. “Anything new, that always comes, I’m like, ‘That’s nice.’ But like, where was everybody three or four years ago?”
The Sixers pulled off a major turnaround led by two of the top young talents in the league, laying the foundation for a bright future. Yet it was only two years ago they went 10-72, part of a 75-253 record over Brett Brown’s first four seasons as head coach.
“I kind of hold grudges because three, four years ago we were the laughingstock of the whole NBA,” Embiid said. “Then now we’re here, everybody’s talking about us. I don’t think it makes a difference. (Philadelphia basketball icon) Sonny Hill always tells me, you can’t get too high, can’t get too low, you’ve got to always keep your balance.”
