“I’m not Joe”: Joel Embiid's former backup quips at Sixers star while responding on his own back-to-back status

Joel Embiid announced before the 2024-25 NBA season started that he would not be playing back-to-back games. The former MVP planned to sit out one-half of two straight games to ease the pressure on his oft-injured left knee. Since his announcement, Embiid has been trolled and criticized.

When Mo Bamba, Embiid’s former Philadelphia teammate who recovered from knee surgery, was asked about playing back-to-back games, he jokingly replied:

“I’m not Joe (Embiid)."

Bamba added that the LA Clippers, his new team, planned to restrict his minutes but allowed him to play the back-to-back set. The No. 6 pick in the 2018 NBA draft missed the Clippers’ first 13 games of the season. He returned on Sunday against the Utah Jazz and played on Monday versus the Golden State Warriors.

The Clippers' backup center provided some context to explain his remark. Bamba said he had the same knee injury with the Philadelphia 76ers but played through it. He appeared in 57 games for Philly last season as Embiid’s primary backup. The Clippers didn't follow the same route, as they shut him down until he was ready to play.

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Joel Embiid will meet Mo Bamba on Sunday

Neither Joel Embiid nor Mo Bamba was healthy when the Philadelphia 76ers and LA Clippers met on Nov. 6. Both were recovering from knee issues that forced them out of training camp and preseason. On Sunday, the two will meet for the first time following Bamba’s remark on his former teammate.

The game against the Clippers doesn’t fall during a back-to-back set, making it likely Embiid will play. Unless the former MVP suffers another injury, he should be in the starting lineup to face Bamba and Co.

The head-to-head duel to watch out for will be between Embiid and Ivica Zubac, the Clippers’ starting center. Bamba, however, will get his turn to face Embiid as the Croatian’s primary reliever. Fans will want to see the interaction between the two following Bamba’s viral comment about his former teammate.