Oakley Slams ‘Unsportsmanlike’ Embiid, Calls for Stricter Conduct

Former New York Knicks star Charles Oakley didn’t hold back in sharing his opinions about Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid following their team’s loss to the latter’s squad. In a conversation with Newsday, Oakley expressed disapproval of Embiid’s behavior during Game 3 of their first-round playoff series which saw the Sixers secure an impressive victory over the Knicks by a scoreline of 125-114. While acknowledging that Embiid had scored a remarkable fifty points in the game, Oakley appeared to take issue with his conduct on and off the court. “They’ve got to do something about it,” Oakley told Newsday when questioned over this matter. “I wouldn’t be shaking their hands before the game when they play, friends or no friends. I wouldn’t shake Embiid’s hand or anyone’s hand. We are on a mission.” The retired NBA player’s statement seems to imply that he disapproves of any friendly gestures between opposing teams in high-stakes matches such as the ongoing series with Philadelphia and New York, possibly because it could distract his former team from their primary objective: winning games at all costs.
Embiid has drawn some criticism for certain episodes during this playoff clash; among other instances is one when he received a yellow card after landing hard on the Knicks’ Mitchell Robinson as the latter was attempting to shoot. While Embiid did not receive his marching orders, Robinson had to leave the game due to an injury sustained in that incident.
Embiid also seemed to have gotten under Robinson’s skin during Game 3 when he made a groin strike at him while blocking one of Robinson’s attempts close to the basket; this move drew criticism from some quarters who felt it was uncalled for and unsportsmanlike conduct on Embiid’s part.
Oakley suggested that such actions would not have been tolerated had they taken place when he was an NBA player. “I probably would have smacked him,” Oakley said of Embiid, implying that the former Knicks star believed players like David Robinson who could read between the lines and understand what kind of behavior crossed the line back then, as opposed to contemporary centers like Joel Embiid whom he views somewhat suspiciously. “You can’t let [Embiid] send that kind of message,” Oakley continued, emphasizing his belief in the importance of sending a clear signal regarding acceptable standards of conduct both on and off court by stars who possess great potential as game changers; those such as Embiid could be perceived to have been pushing their luck. “David Robinson, when he played, he knew what he could get away with,” Oakley said in this context while hinting that some modern-day players might not share the same level of self-awareness or restraint regarding certain aspects of sportsmanship and fair play as was evident from Embiid’s conduct during Game 3.