“Charles Barkley, great player” - Veteran Joel Embiid rejects ring as a parameter of player’s greatness in NBA

Do rings determine the greatness of a player? Joel Embiid addressed this question in a recent interview with ESPN. The Philadelphia 76ers’ veteran did not go with the idea of rings as a determinant of a player’s greatness.

Citing the classic example of Charles Barkley, he said that the legend is great despite the fact that he never won a ring. Joel Embiid also shared how he has grown as a leader. He attributed his leadership style to personal struggles and said that his game does all the talking for him.

Joel Embiid doesn’t consider ring a parameter of greatness

Philadelphia 76ers’ veteran Joel Embiid sat down for an interview with ESPN’s Dotun Akintoye. Hard to crack always, but he showed his different side and spoke at length on various issues, including ring culture. Is ring a correct determiner of success? He firmly rejected this narrative, saying:“No one is a winner until they've done it.

I'm fine with that narrative because I haven't done it. Charles Barkley, great player, right? But he never won. [Allen Iverson] never won. ... But that doesn't mean they weren't great. They were amazing.”Joel Embiid, the NBA MVP for 2022-2023, considers his contribution to the team as a real indicator of greatness in basketball. When asked to comment on media narratives that said he cared too much about individual awards, he refuted it right away, saying:"If you are in a position to win an MVP, I don't care who you are, you're going after it because I never believed I would be in this position, first of all.

Second of all, when I got in the league, I thought, 'Yeah, maybe I'll have a chance to be a great defensive player.' I never thought I was going to be this good offensively."He further said, "You're basically saying that he's playing harder in the regular season than he's playing in the playoffs, which doesn't make sense because if you look at the minutes, the minutes rise. And you're playing harder. And you do more on both ends of the floor."

Joel Embiid explained evolution in his leadership style

Joel Embiid also talked about people’s perception of him as a leader. He said that the perception is changing with time. Talking about how his leadership has evolved, he said:“If you ask my teammates now, they’ll tell you a way different story than my teammates a couple of years ago, because years ago, I was nowhere to be found.”

He shared that he proved his supremacy on the hardwood with his play. The one-time MVP is often seen on the bench due to injuries, which have often limited his appearances.

A lack of consistency has pushed him back to the queue of great players. According to him, it is a player’s luck and health that guides the capability to deliver in terms of minutes and numbers.

Joel Embiid addressed allegations of being an excuse maker

In the same interview, he also addressed various media narratives floating around him. One of the most controversial ones was that he makes excuses. Sharing his viewpoint on the same, he said:“It's not making excuses. When you're hurt every year and everybody knows it, it's the truth," he says.

"Now, do you believe, if he was 100 percent, does he have what it takes to have a chance at winning? I think a lot of people believe that because I've shown it in the regular season when I was healthy."He continued, "What if I did this and I was like, 'You know what? I'm just going to chill all season and coast and average 25? Or 20.' And in the playoffs, I go average 30. Would that make me look great? Probably. If I went from averaging 23 to 30 -- a playoff riser.

Oh, my God. Joel Jordan. Whatever.”

He further said, "The Brooklyn series two years ago is a perfect example. Double me everywhere. Half court, as soon as I had the ball, that coach was like, 'Go get it.' And guess what? I was fine with it because we kicked the ball out, we made shots, and we won. But guess what it did? It lowered the stats."So, if that's the narrative that's out there, I'm OK with that because I know what I'm going through and I know what's going on.

And no one is in my body to understand what I'm going through."Joel Embiid has averaged 27.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 3.7 assists from 452 games played in his career. He is known for exceptional defense and experience. The 76ers’ star appeared at 66th position in Bleacher Report’s NBA All-time Top Players list.Also Read: James Harden and Joel Embiid No Longer on Speaking Terms Following 76ers Split - Deep NBA Shortcomings Revealed