SUMMARY
- Joel Embiid is earning a reputation as a dirty player.
- Embiid collided with Jalen Brunson and also hurt Mitchell Robinson on several occasions.
NBA fans are growing increasingly frustrated with Joel Embiid and his style of play. The majority of the basketball community will be aware that Embiid is the franchise superstar for the Philadelphia 76ers and the reigning MVP. His team has matched up against Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks for the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
While the playoffs are known to have a different intensity and atmosphere when compared to the regular season, it appears as if Embiid is engaging in questionable and violent plays in order to win games. Although fans initially dismissed his behavior, it looks to have gone out of hand as Joel has now been branded as one of the dirtiest players in league history.
NBA fans compare Joel Embiid to Draymond Green
Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green is well-known across the basketball world for his own antics and questionable behavior. It appears as if Embiid is attempting to take that position from Draymond as the 76ers star’s actions on the court grow worse with each passing day.
A flagrant foul is awarded when an NBA star engages in a move outside the boundaries and rules of the sport. Tackling, kicking, or hitting the opposition is almost always awarded a flagrant foul. It might shock NBA fans to hear that Embiid has racked up more flagrant fouls than Draymond despite having played in almost 500 fewer games.
Joel Embiid has 2 more flagrant fouls than Draymond Green despite playing 481 fewer games (regular season and playoffs) 😲
Are we too hard on Draymond? 🤔
(via u/CummingInTheNile/Reddit) pic.twitter.com/5Kr9FWk6kV
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 26, 2024
Since Embiid tends to flop frequently and exaggerate contact, his fouls have not been viewed and judged as seriously when compared to Draymond. However, his actions in this ongoing series vs the New York Knicks have fans convinced that Embiid is a dirty player who intentionally engages in dangerous plays with malice and forethought.
Accusations against Joel Embiid’s intentional and dangerous plays continue
During the third quarter of Game 4 between the Knicks and 76ers, Embiid purposely collided with Jalen Brunson and could have caused serious damage to the Knicks’ star. He also appeared to stick an elbow outwards during the collision which only made things worse.
Joel Embiid is approaching Draymond Green on the NBA unlikeable scale pic.twitter.com/rB6m3S3MoV
— Jared Smith (@jaredleesmith) April 28, 2024
Footage of Embiid kicking Mitchell Robinson in the groin while rising up for a jump shot has also gone viral. Some fans will also remember that Embiid grabbed Robinson’s legs while he was on the ground and attempted to trip him or injure him in the process.
Joel Embiid is a dirty player. He showed his character tonight. He’s the bad guy. Now we have to kick his ass. pic.twitter.com/th8Vsb8nqU
— Matthew Piper Jenks 🧲 (@MattPiperJenks) April 26, 2024
It’s actually insane what Joel Embiid is doing this series. Never seen a dirtier player just blatantly trying to hurt people like this. Absolute scumbag
— Tommy Smokes (@TomScibelli) April 28, 2024
Some fans have already decided that Embiid is extremely unlikeable and a dirty player. Others even claim that he is worse than Draymond Green due to his constant foul baiting and ‘inadvertently’ falling on top of others. In any case, the NBA world is left wondering if any serious action will be taken against Embiid in order to prevent him from continuing to engage in this form of behavior.