'What The Hell Was That?': ESPN's Stephen A. Smith Goes Off On Sixers' Joel Embiid Following Scoreless Game Against Raptors
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- ESPN's Stephen A. Smith went on an epic rant on "First Take" following Joel Embiid's horrendous shooting night on Monday. The analyst also put some of the blame for Embiid's career-worst game on head coach Brett Brown.
"Thirty-two minutes and zero points, what the hell was that?" Smith said.
Smith brought up that the last time the world saw Embiid in a playoff setting, he was walking off the court in Toronto crying following the Sixers' game seven loss. Smith felt that moment would be the turning point for the All-Star center.
"I came on the air and said, 'This was a beautiful thing because it hurts him now. He's going to come out like a monster this year,'" Smith said. "Joel was averaging 27 points last year, he's averaging 21 this year. His numbers are down. He doesn't seem in shape."
To top off the rant, Smith called out Brown, who he has supported in the past but says he needs to start coaching now.
"I'm putting him on notice. Will you coach, please? Pretty please, with sugar on top," Smith pleaded.
He questioned why the 7-foot-1 Embiid was dribbling the ball on the perimeter and shooting fall-away jump shots versus being in the post.
"Coaching has to come into play somehow," Smith later said. "Stop with the jump shots and get down in the post, start making some noise down there and get to the foul line."
This was the first game of Embiid's collegiate or professional career where he didn't score.
The question now is, how will Embiid and Brown respond to not have a repeat performance?
