NBA
Joel Embiid Ushers In The Return of the Big
There is a new bully on the block in the NBA and his name is Joel Embiid. Not since Shaquille O’Neill has the NBA witnessed somebody as dominant as Joel Embiid is in the low post. The scary part about Embiid though is, unlike Shaq, he can actually face up and hit jumpers from the mid post to behind the three point arch with ease. In a league that has become more guard centric, Joel Embiid is reintroducing an aspect of the game many feared was lost, The Big Man!
The Rise
In 2014, Embiid declared for the NBA draft after being hailed some experts as the best prospect in a strong draft class that included the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, Aaron Gordon, Julius Randle, Zach LaVine, and more. The wildcard with Embiid was injury, as he experienced a stress fracture in his back before that year’s NCAA tournament while still at the University of Kansas, and entered the draft with a broken bone in his foot. He would receive surgery on his foot that would linger for what amounted to two full NBA seasons. This is what prompted the now franchise defining phrase “Trust the Process.”
Worth The Wait
After two long years, we were to see the Process reveal its product. Embiid was slowly introduced to NBA game action, but seemingly every minute revealed his immense potential. He displayed a soft shooting and ball handling prowess rarely seen in a player seven feet tall. He was equally imposing on the defensive side of the ball, swatting or altering shots with ease. Unfortunately, the injury bug struck again and he was limited to 31 games, but he still managed to be named to the NBA All-Rookie team, averaging 20.2 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and 2.5 blks in only 25.4 minutes of action per night.
Wise Investment
Now realizing the potential of their 2014 investment, the 76ers awarded Embiid a five year, $148M contract extension. He returned the favor by producing a stellar sophomore campaign. Joel was named to his first NBA All-Star team and led the 76ers to their first playoff appearance in years. However, Embiid wouldn’t escape the injury list. He experienced an orbital fracture of his left eye in a late March game against the Knicks and had to undergo surgery, but was able to return to face the Miami Heat the first round playoffs and ultimately defeating them.
Ultimately, “The Process” would prove incomplete as the 76ers and Embiid fell to the Boston Celtics in the second round. Embiid still proved to have a great year, averaging 22.9 ppg, 11 rpg, and 1.8 blks. He was rewarded by his All-Star selection, an All-NBA Second Team selection, and an All-NBA Defensive Team selection.
Is this Your King?
This offseason, social media is loaded with video clips of Embiid perfecting his craft, dunking on any willing defender, pro or amateur all the same. He is viewed muscling his way to the post with mesmerizing footwork, and dropping hammers them all. He is hell bent on becoming an unstoppable force in the low post. The Cameroonian has modeled his game after NBA Great Hakeem Olajuwon, but something seems nastier about Embiid. He has a Kobe Bryant mindset with Olajuwon’s skillset and Shaq’s brute strength.
Now that LeBron James is off to Hollywood, the Eastern Conference is up for grabs. Boston has the most complete roster, and Toronto traded for Kawhi Leonard to pair with its strong young core. However, Philadelphia may now possess the most dominant player in the East. Embiid has MVP level talent and should only refine his game to be more efficient going forward. With the recent flux of young big men entering the draft, Embiid is currently entering his bid to be acknowledged as the Alpha Big in the NBA. Who will hold him off?
