<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-joel-embiid-injury-concerns-spark-khaman-maluach-draft-speculation');   ga('set', 'title', '76ers rumors: Joel Embiid injury concerns spark Khaman Maluach draft speculation');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Joel-Embiid-of-the-Philadelphia-76ers.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>76ers rumors: Joel Embiid injury concerns spark Khaman Maluach draft speculation</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-25T12:40:32-07:00">June 25th, 12:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-25T12:40:32-07:00">June 25th, 12:40pm</time><address><a>Benedetto Vitale</a>Benedetto Vitale is an avid sports writer who is an expert at covering the NFL, college football, NBA, and UFC. He graduated from the University of Oregon in 2016 with a film degree but has since dedicated his career to sports writing.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-shaq-joel-embiid-blast-nsfw-mic-drop">Philadelphia 76ers are one of the most talked-about teams</a> in the league right now as the club owns the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Amid speculation that the front office may or may not select Ace Bailey, rumors reveal a possible draft candidate due to Joel Embiid’s injury concerns.</p><p>Buzz is growing around the idea of <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/2025-nba-mock-draft-5-0-76ers-hornets-ace-bailey-destiny-latest-intel">the 76ers drafting Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach</a>, according to insider Brett Siegel. Embiid’s knees are a growing concern right now, and it sounds like finding his replacement is a possibility.</p><p>“There is always the possibility of a last-minute trade happening in this spot. Even so, [Daryl] Morey is never afraid to take a swing on a player he deems worthy in the NBA Draft. Concerns about Joel Embiid’s knees continue to make its rounds through league circles, which has led to speculation about if the Sixers would throw a wrench in the NBA Draft by selecting Khaman Malauch. If the 76ers trade down a few spots and pass on [VJ] Edgecombe, both Maluach and Tre Johnson will be in play for them.”</p><p>Maluach and Johnson, for that matter, are both projected to be Top 10 picks in the NBA Draft. So, if the 76ers do want to trade back, acquire more assets, and pick the 7-foot-2 center, then Philadelphia would likely prefer to trade with a team that’s within that range. The list of possible suitors includes the Utah Jazz (pick No. 5), Washington Wizards (No. 6), New Orleans Pelicans (No. 7), Brooklyn Nets (No. 8), and Toronto Raptors (No. 9).</p><p>Khaman Maluach, who grew up in South Sudan, <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/khaman-maluach-1.html" rel="noopener">played one season at Duke</a>. The 18-year-old center ended the 2024-25 campaign averaging 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while owning a 71.2% field goal percentage and shooting 76.6% from the free-throw line. His draft stock has risen over recent weeks, as teams like the 76ers like his athleticism and his potential to become a two-way player.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

76ers rumors: Joel Embiid injury concerns spark Khaman Maluach draft speculation

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-shaq-joel-embiid-blast-nsfw-mic-drop');   ga('set', 'title', 'Shaq puts 76ers’ Joel Embiid on blast with NSFW mic drop');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Philadelphia-76ers-center-Joel-Embiid.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Shaq puts 76ers’ Joel Embiid on blast with NSFW mic drop</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-19T14:31:16-07:00">June 19th, 2:31pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-19T17:42:35-07:00">June 19th, 5:42pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Joel Embiid has evolved from one of the most dominant scorers in today’s NBA to the most divisive. Philadelphia 76ers fans believe that he can be the leader of a championship team under Nick Nurse. Others think that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-joel-embiid-hit-with-worrisome-second-knee-surgery-update">Embiid is too injury-prone</a> to make a serious run in the postseason. While talking with Zach Randolph, Shaquille O’Neal took a jab at the former MVP.</p><p>O’Neal and Randolph had their fair share of battles throughout their NBA careers. Both players share a tough, physical mentality that helped them dominate down low in a very physical era of the game. On Thursday’s episode of <i>The Big Podcast with Shaq</i>, O’Neal and Randolph spoke about which players could have had success in their era.</p><p>Both centers agreed that Julius Randle and Ivica Zubac could have held their own. However, when Randolph brought up Embiid’s name, O’Neal scoffed. The four-time NBA champion went on to explain that the 76ers’ center <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1935786945625424238">is too soft</a> when battling in the paint.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I came at him one day, and his response was 'Guys don't play like that no more'. I'm like motherf*cker what the f*ck?… I'm done even talking to you."</p><p>Shaq on Joel Embiid 👀</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/bigpodwithshaq?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@bigpodwithshaq</a>)<a href="https://t.co/vhUC5Od11P">pic.twitter.com/vhUC5Od11P</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1935786945625424238?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Is he mean?” O’Neal asked about Embiid. “Cause I came at him one day, and his response was ‘Guys don’t play like that no more.’ I’m like ‘Motherf****r what? The f*** you talking about?’ Like bro, go inside, punish… I was like ‘I’m done even talking to you.'”</p><p>When he is healthy, Embiid is a formidable presence on the interior. He led the 76ers out of their famous rebuild and took them to the postseason in seven straight seasons. However, O’Neal pointed out to Randolph that his lack of attitude down low leads him to let his opponents off too easily.</p><p>The 76ers had a rough season thanks to injuries to Embiid and Paul George. However, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-plan-joel-embiid-paul-george-tyrese-maxey-core">Nurse and the team have a plan in place for their star trio this offseason</a>. Philadelphia fans hope that the team can bounce back strong. They are one team that could take advantage of a weak Eastern Conference in the 2025-26 season.</p><p>Embiid staying on the court and being aggressive will go a long way in determining just how far they can go.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Shaq puts 76ers’ Joel Embiid on blast with NSFW mic drop

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-rumors-plan-joel-embiid-paul-george-tyrese-maxey-core');   ga('set', 'title', '76ers rumors: The plan for Joel Embiid-Paul George-Tyrese Maxey core');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Joel-Embiid-talks-to-Tyrese-Maxey.jpg"><figcaption>© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>76ers rumors: The plan for Joel Embiid-Paul George-Tyrese Maxey core</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-19T12:12:25-07:00">June 19th, 12:12pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-19T12:12:25-07:00">June 19th, 12:12pm</time><address><a>Jake Faigus</a>Jake Faigus graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 and has written for several publications and websites. He has had stops at Catena Media, Playmaker, DraftKings, USA Today, Spike Up, and Spotlight Sports Group. He also writes for Sporting News and works at iHeartMedia in Phoenix when he is not writing for ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Philadelphia 76ers come into the 2025 NBA Draft with many options in front of them. They can take a talented prospect or <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/nba-rumors-76ers-engage-spurs-trade-no-2-pick">trade the No. 3 pick</a>. The trade option is on the table because the 76ers still have Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey. That trio only played 15 games together last season, but it seems they are giving this experiment one more season.</p><p>According to Marc Stein and Jake Fischer at <i>The Stein Line</i>, the 76ers are content with bringing back their big three despite only appearing in 15 games together and having a 7-8 record. <a href="https://marcstein.substack.com/p/the-latest-nba-draft-intel-kevin?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=392205&amp;post_id=166283635&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=false&amp;r=39f60&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email" rel="noopener">They want to give this group one more shot together</a> to compete for an NBA championship and give the talent more time to gel because the sample size was so small.</p><p>The two insiders elaborated more on what Philadelphia plans to do: “By simply staying at No. 3, Philadelphia would introduce an $11.1 million salary onto its books for 2025-26. So the Sixers expect to operate near (or maybe even above) the second apron for this upcoming campaign, sources say, as they prepare to give Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey another shot to try to contend for a championship after they managed to appear in just 15 games (7-8) together this season.”</p><p>The big three of Embiid, George, and Maxey dealt with numerous injuries last season, and all three did not finish the season. It was not impressive, but with all three back next season, they think they can make it work after more time together and contend for a championship.</p><p>Philadelphia’s desire to remain in the top three is where the draft could get interesting, because Rutgers forward Ace Bailey <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/sources-ace-bailey-calls-off-76ers-meeting-workout-before-nba-draft">abruptly canceled his meeting and workout with the team</a>. If Bailey is no longer an option, the 76ers have a few options, but Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe might be the frontrunner now.</p><p>Philadelphia is one of the weirder teams in the draft lottery because it genuinely has talent. That trio speaks for itself, but Jared McCain emerged as a reliable rookie before getting injured, and then Quentin Grimes exploded onto the scene while the team was dealing with injuries to its big three. Kelly Oubre Jr. is also worth mentioning as a key veteran.</p><p>Despite the roster being hamstrung money-wise, adding one of the best rookies at the top of the draft only helps the 76ers’ total potential next season, when they are going all-in for an NBA championship.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

76ers rumors: The plan for Joel Embiid-Paul George-Tyrese Maxey core

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-shaq-joel-embiid-nba-stars-wish-allen-iverson-happy-50th-birthday');   ga('set', 'title', 'Shaq, Joel Embiid among NBA stars to wish Allen Iverson happy 50th birthday');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/76ers-news-Shaq-Joel-Embiid-among-NBA-stars-to-wish-Allen-Iverson-happy-50th-birthday.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Shaq, Joel Embiid among NBA stars to wish Allen Iverson happy 50th birthday</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-07T11:11:05-07:00">June 7th, 11:11am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-08T08:28:50-07:00">June 8th, 8:28am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>NBA legend Allen Iverson turned 50 years old on Saturday, and the Philadelphia 76ers <a href="https://x.com/sixers/status/1931370214362427607" rel="noopener">honored the milestone</a> by sharing a compilation of birthday tributes from past and present NBA players on X, formerly known as Twitter.</p><p>The video featured messages from current stars and Hall of Famers alike, including Joel Embiid, Shaquille O’Neal, Tyrese Maxey, Paul George, and Charles Barkley. The celebration highlighted Iverson’s enduring legacy and impact on the game of basketball.</p><p>Embiid, the Sixers’ current franchise centerpiece, offered a short but warm birthday wish to the former No. 1 overall pick. The former MVP is currently recovering from <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-joel-embiid-hit-with-worrisome-second-knee-surgery-update">arthroscopic surgery on his left knee</a>, which he underwent in April. Embiid was limited to just 19 appearances during the 2024-25 season, averaging 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 44.4% from the field and 29.9% from three-point range.</p><h2><b>Shaquille O’Neal, Joel Embiid honor Allen Iverson with messages on his milestone 50th birthday</b></h2><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-shaquille-o-neal-allen-iverson-2001-nba-finals-instagram">Shaquille O’Neal, who faced Iverson in the 2001 NBA Finals</a>, delivered a more <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celebrity/allen-iverson-gets-emotional-speaking-about-shaquille-oneal-friendship">emotional message reflecting on their bond over the years</a>.</p><p>“Allen Iverson, a.k.a the Vice President, I want to say happy birthday… you’ve been a true friend, you’ve been a brother to me, you always look out for me, make sure to tell your lovely mother, hello,” O’Neal said. “Happy birthday brother, 50 years old, may we live until we are 90, may we be in the same old folks home together talking about the 2001 Finals. I love you and I’ll talk to you soon brother. Happy birthday A.I.”</p><p>Iverson, affectionately known as “The Answer,” was drafted No. 1 overall by the 76ers in the 1996 NBA Draft. He went on to spend 14 seasons in the league, playing for several teams but leaving his most significant mark in Philadelphia.</p><p>Over the course of his career, Iverson earned 11 All-Star selections, was named the league’s Most Valuable Player in 2001, and captured four scoring titles. He led the 76ers to the NBA Finals in 2001, where they fell to the Los Angeles Lakers in five games. The franchise later retired his No. 3 jersey, and he was named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team.</p><p>Iverson remains one of the most influential figures in NBA history, known for his fearless play, cultural impact, and lasting connection to the city of Philadelphia.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Shaq, Joel Embiid among NBA stars to wish Allen Iverson happy 50th birthday

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-joel-embiid-foul-baiting-confession-rookie-jared-mccain');   ga('set', 'title', '76ers star Joel Embiid’s foul-baiting confession revealed by rookie');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Joel-Embiid-shooting-free-throws.jpg"><figcaption>Kim Klement-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>76ers star Joel Embiid’s foul-baiting confession revealed by rookie</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-22T13:48:59-07:00">May 22nd, 1:48pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-22T13:48:59-07:00">May 22nd, 1:48pm</time><address><a>Jaren Kawada</a>Jaren Kawada is a former full-time sports bettor and is now a NFL, College Football and Betting Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. Kawada was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, but now resides in Indianapolis, Indiana, after graduating from Butler University with a B.A. in sports media. Aside from football, Kawada is an avid combat sports and basketball bettor.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite claiming the 2023 MVP award, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-news-nuggets-fans-mock-joel-embiid-brutal-3-word-chant">Joel Embiid is one of the most criticized</a> players in the NBA, due to his increasing habit of “foul-baiting.” As fans continue to rip him for his habits, Embiid has openly admitted to manipulating the whistle, according to Philadelphia 76ers rookie Jared McCain.</p><p>McCain revealed that Embiid thinks “foul-baiting” is “smart” on a Bleacher Report watch-along stream of the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals. The rookie guard <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1925590390410735985" rel="noopener">seemed to agree</a> with his All-Pro teammate.</p><p>“Foul-baiting is just smart,” McCain said. “Even when I talk to Joel about it, he thinks it’s just playing the game smart. Just knowing how to manipulate the game in your own way. They have to call it. If it’s a foul, it’s a foul.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Foul-baiting is just smart. Even when I talk to Joel [Embiid] about it, he thinks it's just playing the game smart. Just knowing how to manipulate the game in your own way. … If it's a foul, it's a foul."</p><p>—Jared McCain</p><p>(via <a href="https://twitter.com/BleacherReport?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BleacherReport</a>)<a href="https://t.co/0AOT910Fdk">pic.twitter.com/0AOT910Fdk</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1925590390410735985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 22, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Foul-baiting has evidently worked for Embiid, particularly late in his career. Before his throw-away 2024-2025 campaign, the 31-year-old attempted more than 10 free throws per game in four consecutive seasons. He has ranked in the top 10 in most free throw attempts in every season he was eligible.</p><p>The league’s best scorers typically lead the league in free-throw attempts due to their high usage. However, whether it is Embiid, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Brunson, James Harden or LeBron James, fans have grown increasingly frustrated with the increase in foul-baiting and flopping.</p><h2><b>Jared McCain aims to rebound with 76ers in 2025-2026</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Jared-McCain-dribbling-1.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>As a three-point ace, McCain is not one for foul-baiting himself, averaging just 2.4 free throw attempts as a rookie. Yet, in addition to revealing Embiid’s game plan, McCain spoke in depth about how much he misses the court and desperately wants to return in better form in his second season.</p><p>As the No. 16 overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, McCain was well on his way to a potential Rookie of the Year season before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/76ers-news-jared-mccain-devastating-knee-injury-update">tearing his meniscus in January</a>. He averaged 15.3 points on 38.3 percent from deep in just 23 games before going down.</p><p>McCain’s injury added to what was already a disappointing year for the 76ers. With Embiid playing just 19 games on the year, Philadelphia went just 24-58 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017. Point guard Tyrese Maxey, who took another leap with a career-high 26.3 points per game, was the lone bright spot in a lost season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
23.8	8.2	4.5	0.9	0.7

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
23.8	8.2	4.5	0.9	0.7

Joel Embiid

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Shaq, Joel Embiid among NBA stars to wish Allen Iverson happy 50th birthday

76ers star Joel Embiid’s foul-baiting confession revealed by rookie

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