Joel Embiid Gets Dismissed as 76ers' Leader by 3x NBA Champ

Joel Embiid Gets Dismissed as 76ers’ Leader by 3x NBA Champ originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Joel Embiid has been the face of the Philadelphia 76ers since he emerged as a superstar talent. On the court, Embiid has shown that he’s a leader. Often, he’s the go-to player of the team, and he’s stepped up in crucial moments.

However, not everyone sees the 2023 MVP as the leader for Philly. Former NBA player and three-time champion Udonis Haslem went on ESPN’s “NBA Today” on Tuesday and talked about the 76ers’ situation, where he reflected on Embiid’s capability as a leader. 

During his time as an active player, Haslem built a reputation as the leader of the Miami Heat. Although Dwyane Wade was the longtime on-court leader, the 6-foot-8 forward was the voice, heart and soul of the franchise.

Haslem knows what it takes to be a leader. The former NBA player doesn’t see the qualities he had with Embiid, which is why he dismissed the Cameroonian center as the head of the 76ers.

Haslem cited Embiid’s constant unavailability as a significant factor in being a true leader. 

“Establish your leadership. Who are we going to follow in that locker room? Who is going to be that voice?” Haslem said. “Not going to be Joel Embiid. He’s not gonna play every game, everybody can’t do what Embiid does. He’s gonna sit out practices, most players can’t sit out practices.

He also mentioned Paul George as a potential voice of the team. Haslem said that George is a great player, but not the type to become a leader. According to the former Heat forward, he sees the 24-year-old guard, Tyrese Maxey, as the right player to lead the 76ers.

“In my opinion, that leader needs to be Tyrese Maxey. I know he’s young, I know that’s a lot to put on his shoulder. He is the guy who shows up every night, he is the guy who is in practice every day. He is the guy who is vocal, and if I’m not mistaken, he is the guy who also challenged Embiid about being present.”

“Establish your leadership. Who are we going to follow in that locker room? … That leader needs to be Tyrese Maxey.”@ThisIsUD thinks the key to the Sixers’ success is defining the leader of the team 💪 pic.twitter.com/Ln8w3xhmv5

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 2, 2025

Haslem referred to what happened between Maxey and Embiid last season. The young guard confronted the seven-time All-Star for his constant tardiness in team practices and other team-affiliated activities.

Although Maxey is young, he’s emerged as a star in the league and could very well be the next franchise player for the 76ers.

Related: 76ers Get News on 2-Time NBA All-Star on Friday

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 2, 2025, where it first appeared.