Charles Barkley criticizes Joel Embiid’s Olympics, praises the Sixers’ offseason, and more on Paul George’s podcast

Charles Barkley is thrilled to have Paul George in Philly.

“Paul George, Philadelphia 76ers!” were the first four words the former Sixers star turned broadcaster uttered during his guest appearance on George’s podcast, Podcast P, on Monday morning. “If I had a dollar for every time I talked about your [expletive] this summer, I could quit my TV job. These people are so excited to have you in Philadelphia.”

Barkley played eight seasons of his NBA career with the Sixers and lives in the Philly area during the summertime. As a self-described “diehard Sixer fan,” he certainly joined in the fan base’s excitement when the team added George on a four-year, $212 million contract in July. While on the podcast, the Hall of Famer also commended the Sixers’ front office for the acquisitions of Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, and Eric Gordon.

“The Sixers have had the best summer of any team in the NBA,” he said, echoing a sentiment he shared with The Inquirer last month in Tahoe. “ … I cannot wait for the season to start.”

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Although George doesn’t appear to need much more advice on how to handle Philly fans — he asked them to “be as critical and as hard as you can” in his introductory press conference last month, received some pointers from fan favorite Tyrese Maxey, and has already met some while out and about in the city — Barkley offered his thoughts.

“I know you played in Indiana and they got a great fan base, but New York, Philly, and Boston — they’re different animals,” Barkley told George. “They love you, but they can turn to hate really quickly. But if you give 110 percent … they’re gonna love you. They want this team to win so badly.”

Joel Embiid’s struggles for the United States in the Paris Olympics have already drawn plenty of criticism, and Barkley added to it during his discussion with George. He wants Embiid to take his second-half benching against Serbia, and his subsequent DNP against South Sudan, as fuel for the 2024-25 NBA season.

“I hope this is a wake-up [call] for Joel, this Olympic experience,” Barkley said. “He has not played well, and I’m hoping he’s like, ‘Yo, man, I got to get in better shape. … I got to get healthy, because if we don’t win the championship or go deep in the playoffs, it’s going to be because of me.’”

» READ MORE: Mike Sielski: Sitting Joel Embiid against South Sudan was the right thing for Team USA. Time for him to understand that.

George and Barkley, each former Olympians, can relate to Embiid’s discomfort while finding a role on a star-studded team. George, who won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics, says his limited offensive duties allowed him to expend more energy on defense. In a recent conversation with Embiid, George advised his new teammate to be open-minded this summer.

“Just try to find a way to stay engaged and challenge yourself in a different way than you would do in the NBA,” George recalls telling Embiid. “We had a good talk about that.”

Barkley drew a comparison between Embiid’s roles with Team USA and the Sixers. The 2023 MVP is one of several capable options on the American roster, and while that’s a different dynamic than the one Embiid is used to in Philly, his supporting cast next season will be the best it has been in a long time. Barkley hopes Embiid’s Olympic experience will help him settle into a reduced role alongside George and Tyrese Maxey.

“He can’t mope around,” Barkley said. “He’s got to be like, ‘OK, it’s Paul’s night. OK, it’s [Maxey]’s night. What can I do when I don’t get the ball?’”

Barkley also shared stories of his earliest encounters with the Sixers, which began in the lead-up to the 1984 NBA draft. The Sixers had interest in selecting the Auburn star with the No. 5 overall pick, but Harold Katz, then the team’s owner, wanted Barkley to shed a few pounds from the 300-pound frame he held coming out of college.

Barkley lost the weight, but two days before the draft, his agent informed him that the Sixers were over the salary cap and thus would only be able to offer him a one-year contract for a mere $75,000.

“I’m like, ‘Yo man, I didn’t leave college for $75,000, that’s crazy. … Let’s make sure the Sixers don’t draft me,’” Barkley recalls thinking. “I went on an eating spree. … I fly into Philly, I’m like 299 [pounds]. The owner of the Sixers called me every name in the book. … He put me on the train, we go up to New York … I’m thinking I’m going to slip to six or seven and get me some good money.”

» READ MORE: Charles Barkley praises Sixers for ‘great summer,’ and laments likely end of TNT’s NBA broadcast rights

The Sixers drafted him anyway, and while that didn’t please Barkley initially, it all worked out for him in the end. He impressed the Sixers that summer, enough that they traded a couple of players so they could pay him a lucrative, multiyear contract.

Barkley grew to be thankful that he landed in Philly. He called Billy Cunningham the “best coach I’ve ever played for” and commended the veterans on the team for taking him under their wing. He specifically credited Moses Malone for helping him through a difficult start to his rookie year, when Barkley was still out of shape and struggling to crack the Sixers’ starting five.

“This whole thing changed my whole career,” Barkley said of his relationship with Malone. “One of the greatest players ever met me before practice, after practice, and he got me to lose 50 pounds. … If it wasn’t for Moses Malone … I’d be working at McDonald’s.”

Barkley finished his thought by imploring the 34-year-old George, who is entering his 15th NBA season, to be that same helpful veteran during his time with the Sixers.