Giannis gets extra fuel for 76ers matchup after Channing Frye’s wild insult

The Philadelphia 76ers will enter the 2026-27 season as one of the definitive favorites to come out of the East and represent the conference in the NBA Finals. However, with two-time Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo still in the Eastern Conference, his new ball club, the Miami Heat, will aim to stand in the franchise’s quest to regain supremacy and snap their championship drought. Heck, the Greek Freak just got some extra fuel against Philly thanks to a former champion’s wild take.

Channing Frye, who lasted 13 years in the league and won a championship with the Cavaliers back in 2016, recently said on a short clip from the Road Trippin pod that Giannis is basically unskilled compared to 76ers superstar Joel Embiid, noting that the former does not have the skill set to dominate without his physical gifts, unlike the latter, who can still put up massive numbers despite not being fully healthy.

Thanks, Channing. The 76ers certainly did not need any more revenge fuel against them.

Channing Frye just gave Giannis some extra motivation against the 76ers

Giannis may be spearheading one of the biggest roadblocks for the 76ers next season, but it would be highly disingenuous to dismiss his ability to dominate the game and trample his opponents. After all, this is a two-time MVP and an NBA champion. You do not just collect those trophies without being skilled.

Sure, one could make a valid claim about Embiid being more skillful than his Heat counterpart. However, that does not necessarily mean that Antetokounmpo is not a skilled superstar as Frye claims. The ability to leverage his unique physical tools is a skill in and of itself, but the Greek Freak is NBA royalty for deeper reasons.

No big man in the league touting a similar physical offering to Giannis is as agile as he is. He is a pretty good finisher who can generate his own shot, and his ability to make plays for his teammates is likewise top-notch for his position. His jump shot is really his only question mark, and even that supposed weakness gets masked by his ability to get to the basket at will.

As long as he stays healthy, Giannis and the Heat will pose a tough challenge to the 76ers. Philadelphia will not back down against him, of course, but with this insulting and uncalled-for remark from Frye, people can certainly expect him to go extra hard when facing Philly.