Maybe those Jerry Colangelo burner accounts could end up being a good thing for the Philadelphia 76ers, at least in one small way.
In an interview with ESPN from the NBA Africa game, Joel Embiid said the tweets sent by former 76ers president Bryan Colangelo’s wife were “hurtful,” but that he also remembered such criticisms and used them as motivation.
“It was hurtful because of the stuff that was said in those tweets,” Embiid said in the interview. “But at the end of the day, I know who I am as a person, as a player. And I know a lot of people, they’re always telling me I’m great but I have a lot of stuff to work on. And actually, I appreciated everything that was said about me because if it was true – even if it wasn’t – that stays in my mind. And it makes me want to get better.
“The stuff where they were saying I wasn’t happy, that makes me want to work harder on my body. Or if they’re saying that I couldn’t do anything, it makes me want to work harder and get better. So, actually, I love it. I appreciated it. It was great. It was great for my game.”
Embiid had some choice words when the burner accounts came to light. Colangelo ultimately lost his job, and the whole situation was a huge embarrassment for the 76ers. A motivated Embiid is a small consolation prize, but it still counts.
