Joel Embiid spurned Tyrese Haliburton's Pacers recruitment from Team USA practice
02/18/2025 01:55 PM
Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid is one of the subjects of the new Netflix docuseries "Court of Gold," which followed the men’s basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics. The inside look at the Games and Team USA’s quest for the gold medal included an interesting exchange with Embiid and Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.
Early in the first episode, there's a short clip of Haliburton and Embiid chopping it up on the sideline. Haliburton asked Embiid if he would want to join the Pacers and the 76ers’ big man said he would prefer to retire.
Seven minutes into this doc and I guess we can rule out Joel Embiid going to the Indiana Pacers https://t.co/gLryGEoGElpic.twitter.com/9QWMTiwTvo
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) February 18, 2025
"I might want to come to Indy," Embiid said. "Psych! Never in my life. I would rather retire."
Joel Embiid shoots down Tyrese Haliburton’s offer to join Pacers
When Haliburton joked to Embiid about joining him in Indiana, the 76ers had already signed Paul George to a massive contract in a move that formed a new Big 3 with him, Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The Pacers were fresh off a run to the Eastern Conference Finals but Embiid was not in any precarious state with the Sixers, with whom he would sign a contract extension later in the summer.
Team USA conquered some tough competition on the way to winning its latest gold medal. Embiid made his debut on the international basketball stage, appearing in five of six Olympic contests and contributing a massive performance against Nikola Jokic’s Serbian squad in the semi-final stage. His 19 points helped lift the Americans to the final stage. Haliburton, on the other hand, didn't play much but was a good sport about it.
When you ain't do nun on the group project and still get an A pic.twitter.com/xpshYZhMyA
— Tyrese Haliburton (@TyHaliburton22) August 10, 2024
As for Embiid and Haliburton’s respective NBA seasons that followed the conquest of the gold medal, things are quite different. Haliburton’s Pacers own a record of 30-23, good for fourth in the Eastern Conference, while Embiid’s injury-plagued season has sunk the 76ers. At 20-34, they're still trying to get into a spot for the play-in tournament.
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