Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid wants to replicate the experience playing the game with a hoard of fans in the stands. More than the cheers, Embiid wants to hear a mass of virtual boos.
Embiid appeared on the “The Rights to Ricky Sanchez” show where he shared his suggestion: add virtual boos in the bubble games. Those familiar with Joel Embiid know that he can take the heat. He's a preeminent trash talker who flourishes when fans mock him.
“We need some boos in here,” Embiid said.
It's still a strange request from the Cameroonian. After all, before the 2019-20 season was called off, the 76ers away record stood at 10-24. They fared better at home with a 29-2 record. That gives the Sixers the most drastic home-road splits in the league by a wide margin.
However, Embiid revealed that their very own fans actually boo them and this motivates him to perform better. Perhaps this is the reason behind their impressive win-loss record at the Wells Fargo Center.
“When we're home and people start, fans start booing us, we're like, ‘Oh, we gotta pick it up, it's not good, we don't want to hear it. So I gotta play hard, I gotta make plays.' So when we're in the bubble and if we're down, if we're not playing hard, like, we need them to put sounds of boos from Philly fans here in the bubble so we can get it going.”
Whether the NBA considers Embiid's demands is a matter of wait-and-see. But the league has always prioritized giving fans and players a great experience. They have done wonders so far in the bubble. So don't be surprised when you start hearing virtual boos.
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