He was just waiting for the right moment to silence the critics, and he did it against Nikola Jokic, the player he perhaps most dreamed of defeating in an Olympic semifinal.
Finally, Joel Embiid shook off the reputation of being a choker. In Team USA’s toughest moments, he was always there: 7 important points in the fourth quarter and crucial defensive plays against Jokic and even Serbia’s guards (who were later taken down by LeBron James and Steph Curry). Far from giving up.