Joel Embiid’s 2024-25 has gotten off to an abysmal start, to say the least. He’s only played 4 games, has been called out by teammates, and in general, has been the subject of constant mockery around the league. His free-throw routine has gone viral, with a lot of fans left bemused after seeing what the center does.
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Shaquille O’Neal and comedian Chico Bean, who made an appearance on ‘The Big Podcast’, took it upon themselves to mock the former MVP a little more. Shaq first asked Chico if he’d seen Embiid’s new free throw routine, and after the comedian denied knowing about it, he displayed a clip.
For those unaware, Embiid’s new routine involves the center standing at the line, adjusting his shorts rather indelicately, sniffing his hand after, and then shooting the ball.
Joel Embiid’s new free throw routine 😳
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) October 26, 2024
Bean looked on in horror, and after the entire clip played, he proceeded to roast Embiid’s routine. He was disgusted with what he saw, and expressed as much, with multiple “ew!s” throughout his roast.
“Oh! Oh wait a minute, go back! Ay time out, this the part, when he smell it and then nod? Like yea that’s the one. Ew slim! That n***a hit his sh*t with ‘Yea, that’s that one I was looking for right there.’ And then he make the free throw? Oh my god Joel Embiid. Ay man listen man. I don’t understand that’s crazy. The fact that he dug in there smelled it and went ‘Yea yea yea.'”
Chico was flabbergasted, but then Shaq showed him a clip of Embiid doing the same thing in-game, which further led the comedian to make more jokes about it. He ended by begging opposition players not to foul Embiid in the future, so that people wouldn’t be forced to see his routine before every free throw.
“And then he blew on that one! Ay man, this n***a got a technique! Yo! This n***a got a technique! He gotta hit hisself in the a** to make free throws? I ain’t ever seen nobody free throw process that f****d up. Ay, man don’t foul Joel Embiid nomore Jesus Christ.”
However, this wasn’t the only time Embiid’s new free-throw routine has found himself on the receiving end of jokes from the internet. He went viral after he seemingly flopped at the free throw line, leading to fans calling him out on Twitter.
Embiid’s flop at the line
During the 76ers’ 117-111 loss to the Grizzlies in Memphis on 21st November, Embiid put up his season-high 35 points. He went to the line 14 times, but one particular trip went so viral that fans called him out over it.
Embiid threw the shot up and immediately feigned contact. Under normal circumstances, he would’ve been awarded free throws, but the problem was that he was already at the line, with nobody within 5 feet of him.
EMBIID FLOPPED ON A FREE THROW 😭 pic.twitter.com/ULuRgVgb8R
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) November 21, 2024
Numerous fans called him out on it, with one claiming it was muscle memory for him, due to his habit of excessive flopping.
Muscle memory 😭
— Fan (@undercoverNBA) November 21, 2024
Another claimed it was just a matter of instinct for him, because he’s done it so many times that his body reacts that way on its own.
It's instinctual at this point😭
— ChoZen (@Chozenboii) November 21, 2024
A third fan was livid with Embiid, and branded him a clown.
What an absolute clown 🤡
— Kobe is the GOAT (@Lakers81KB24) November 21, 2024
No matter what Joel Embiid does in his career, fans will always look back at his career with tinted glasses, as many of his habits left a sour taste in their mouths.