Whiteside shares mutual respect with Embiid: He knows I'm not soft
Contrary to what appeared to be the case in their preseason meeting and on social media, Hassan Whiteside and Joel Embiid are not actually beefing.
The two centers got into it early in Friday's exhibition contest when Embiid drew three fouls on his Miami Heat counterpart in the first three minutes. The Philadelphia 76ers big man then taunted Whiteside, saying "he can't guard" him and motioned for him to go to the bench.
It didn't end there, as the two continued trading jabs on Twitter afterward.
And yet, they insist they're just having a good time.
"They call me the social media king ... to me, it's all fun," Embiid said Monday about the exchange, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jessica Camerato.
Whiteside agreed.
"It's funny to me," the 28-year-old said Sunday after practice, as quoted by Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman. "I'm going to talk trash back if somebody talks trash to me. Maybe when I was younger, I would have been a little more angrier. It would have been a little madder. But, you know, that's the kind of guy he is. He makes jokes. He's a good player, so it's all fun to me. I can go all day with it."
"He called me (softy). Come on, man. He knows that's not true. I'll be on his team's scouting report."
Related: Whiteside preaches humility in wake of Embiid beef
Despite the signs of conflict - which dates back to their first matchup last year - Whiteside insists they have mutual respect for each other.
"Ever since last year, my very first words to Embiid was, 'Man, I'm glad to see you back on the court,'" he said, alluding to JoJo's delayed debut as a result of foot injuries.
"He told me we're going to bring the center position back. And after they won, he called me, 'barbeque chicken,' so I was waiting to get back at him."
He still hasn't been able to exact his revenge on Embiid, who missed all three of the subsequent matchups with Miami last season. Count Blockula registered seven points, three rebounds, and two blocks in 11 minutes last week against Embiid and the 76ers, who came away with the victory.
Whiteside gave credit to the Sixers big man, saying, "Embiid, he don't stop. He don't stop."