Philadelphia 76ers superstar Paul George was recently suspended for 25 games by the NBA for violating the league’s Anti-Drug Program. While this is undoubtedly a controversial matter, the statement released by George following his suspension has raised some eyebrows.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Paul George issued a statement citing improper medication for a “mental health-related issue” as the cause of his suspension. While the aspect of mental health is to be taken seriously, Shaquille O’Neal, Charles Barkley, and the “Inside the NBA” crew appeared skeptical about this claim.
While addressing how Paul George’s absence would affect the team as they prepare to make a postseason appearance, O’Neal stated:
“I just want to say that they give us a booklet on what to do and what not to do… They also give you, inside the booklet, how long it takes you to get rid of something. So, I don’t want to elaborate on what he was doing, but stuff like this should not happen.”
Although in agreement with O’Neal’s statement, Kenny Smith appeared to have some doubts, calling the situation a contradiction in and of itself. In support of mental health-related issues, Smith questioned why the NBA would penalize Paul George so severely for taking the appropriate medication, stating that such a substance wouldn’t be “on the list.”
“Even if it was on the list, they would let you take it,” Barkley added. “There’s something fishy going on here. I don’t joke around about mental health, but if you’re taking something for mental health that’s got to be out of line for the NBA, like, that doesn’t make sense to me.”
Barkley sternly condemned the use of performance-enhancing drugs while differentiating them from medication for mental health. In the overall scheme of things, however, neither he nor Smith could understand why the NBA would take such harsh action under these circumstances, effectively hinting that something else was at play.
Seeking help for mental health issues is perfectly understandable, more so in the case of individuals who operate in high-intensity environments. In this regard, 76ers’ head coach Nick Nurse revealed how he and the franchise are standing with Paul George to support him during this period.
“He’s still a part of the team,” Nurse shared. “He can’t play in the games, but he’s still allowed at the facility and practice and all that stuff. We need to make sure those things continue to happen and get him back… We’re here to help him, the organization is, in any way possible, and try to get past it as soon as we can, but get through it the best way we can and then go from there.”
The solidarity on the 76ers’ behalf is promising, but the reality of the situation doesn’t change. With Paul George suspended for a significant duration, Philadelphia must find ways to compensate for his absence.
With a postseason berth at stake, the 76ers must rally together to stay afloat. While the majority of the burden falls upon Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and VJ Edgecombe, Philadelphia is likely to look to players such as Kelly Oubre Jr. and Dominick Barlow to play a bigger role moving forward.