Team USA is undefeated in exhibition games as it gears up for a run at a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, and while there is work to be done, things are looking good so far.
At times, its defense has been outstanding, and it boasts one of the greatest collections of talent it has ever had.
At the center position, the United States has three true standouts: Bam Adebayo, Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid.
Though there have been calls for Davis, who is currently coming off the bench for head coach Steve Kerr, to start, it looks like that will not be happening.
Embiid, who is Kerr’s starter at the position, hasn’t looked impressive, but Doug Gottlieb said on his FOX Sports Radio show that people shouldn’t be concerned because Embiid’s ability to score in the low post will be decisive when the real games start.
“You have to believe in, at some point, Joel Embiid’s gonna win you a game,” Gottlieb said.
Don’t overreact to Joel Embiid’s awful early Team USA outings:
🎙@GottliebShow: “You can be critical of Joel Embiid. What you can’t do is blow it up into meaning something bigger in terms of his NBA career. It’s a different sport.” pic.twitter.com/k3uamCeHrY
— FOX Sports Radio (@FoxSportsRadio) July 18, 2024
At times, Embiid doesn’t impose his physicality on opponents and settles for perimeter shots, but when he wants to, he is as physically dominant a player as the NBA has to offer these days.
The Philadelphia 76ers superstar was the NBA MVP for the 2022-23 season, and before he injured his meniscus midway through this past season, he looked to be on his way to a second straight honor, not to mention a third straight scoring title.
International play tends to be a little more physical than the up-tempo, perimeter-oriented NBA, and there are some very good opposing centers who will have to be dealt with at the Olympics.
But a focused and aggressive Embiid will likely lead to a gold medal for the United States a few weeks from now.
NEXT:
Analyst Reveals Why Joel Embiid Has Struggled For Team USA
