"Somebody tell him FIBA isn't NBA": Joel Embiid blasted by Team USA fans for foul-baiting Serbia's Nikola Jokic during exhibition game

Joel Embiid has faced a lot of criticism in recent times. From being called out for allegedly trying to win an Olympic medal through the easier route to trying to foul-bait referees, the criticism doesn’t seem to stop for the former NBA MVP.

The calls against Embiid’s alleged foul-baiting continued Wednesday as Team USA faced Nikola Jokic and Serbia in a Basketball Showcase game. With the game tied at 28-28 in the beginning of the second quarter, Embiid went to the rim and failed to convert his shot while what looked like he fell on Jokic’s body to get a whistle. The whistle never came and the play continued.

Fans didn’t take kindly to the play and called out the Philadelphia 76ers center. Fans commended the FIBA referees for not making the call and said that NBA referees would have likely awarded free throws in a similar situation.

A fan said:

“Somebody tell Embiid FIBA isn’t NBA”

Another added:

“NBA refs would have called that all day. I’m glad they don’t fall for it oversees”

“Most embarrassing player in the league,” a fan added.

The reactions were mostly critical and most fans seemed to unite in favor of roasting the big man.

“Literally the worst player on the roster. Zero shame,” another fan added.

“This ain’t America u foul baiting fraud,” a fan added.

There were of course the very few who seemed to disagree with the call, as a fan said:

“That’s a foul”

Joel Embiid had four points in the half on 1-of-5 shooting. He was 0% from beyond the arc and had two turnovers.

Are calls of Joel Embiid foul-baiting legit?

There’s always going to be a grey area regarding such calls. Joel Embiid plays in a position where the game is a lot more physical. And because of his size, he is often hacked and brought down. With the number of shots he attempts, it’s no surprise that he gets a lot of the calls in his favor in the NBA.

Giannis Antetekounmpo attempted the most free throws per game in 2023-24 with an average of 10.7 games. Had Embiid played the necessary 65 games to be considered for season awards and records, he probably would have been ahead of Antetokounmpo. Embiid averaged 11.6 attempts in 39 games.

In 2022-23, he averaged 11.7 attempts, second in the league. The season before, he led the league with 11.8 attempts per game.

So, as long as Joel Embiid stays dominant under the rim and keeps getting the whistles in his favor, the calls of foul-baiting will continue from fans. The legitimacy of the calls will always be questioned, as social media is place where people are almost always divided, and it’s very unlikely they will agree on this topic either.