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76ers Joel Embiid Name Dropped by $244 Million NBA Star

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Reign Amurao | Last updated May 11, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid knows what it's like to have doubters. Given the plethora of injuries he's had over the years, paired with his minimal success, there are a lot who have said something about Embiid. In the 2025 NBA playoffs, one player has experienced receiving criticism for how he plays.

Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton was one of the main topics at the start of the postseason. This was because of the anonymous poll that The Athletic had around the NBA. Haliburton was voted the "most overrated player" by his peers.

The two-time All-Star has not let that narrative affect how he performs in the playoffs. Haliburton knows that being at the top of his game is what's important in the postseason and has kept his composure.

After receiving the label for being the most overrated player in the NBA, Haliburton has since addressed it. According to him, he doesn't think much of it and mentioned Embiid as one of the players who have offered a conversation with the star guard about it.

The 25-year-old also said that he's talked to Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum about it.

"For that poll, there’s no names to faces, it’s all anonymous. Having relationships with guys like Jayson [Tatum] and Joel [Embiid], who are guys that I know at the top of the game, them being honest with me, that’s important. I respect their opinions more than anybody," Haliburton said via The Athletic.

The Pacers star, who has a five-year, $244 million contract, has developed a close bond with Embiid and Tatum. The three All-Stars were teammates during the 2024 Paris Olympics for Team USA.

The two Eastern Conference stars have been the topic of criticism throughout their entire career. While they can't control what critics say about them, they've learned not to pay too much attention to it and focus on basketball.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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