The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76er Joel Embiid Taking It To Next Level

By Bret Stuter

Feb 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid practices prior to a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 8, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid practices prior to a game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 24, 2015; Lahaina, HI, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Bryce Alford (20) leads the team onto the floor before the game against the Kansas Jayhawks during the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 24, 2015; Lahaina, HI, USA; UCLA Bruins guard Bryce Alford (20) leads the team onto the floor before the game against the Kansas Jayhawks during the Maui Jim Maui Invitational at the Lahaina Civic Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

The NCAA player

But what about the player we drafted? You see, much of that youthful energy was raw and unfocussed.  But the potential was there, and has always been there.  Embiid was a force to be reckoned with, in both phases of the game.  While he was a post player in college, we’ve already seen his game expand and he is now deadly accurate, albeit in drills, from three point range.   To catch what all of the excitement is truly about, I have to take you back in time for just a moment.  You see, when Joel Embiid was heading to the draft, he, as all NCAA hopefuls, had a video created to shop his wares.

What jumps out at you when you look at this player on his video is the complete package.   Keep in mind that his college career was just one season as a Kansas Jayhawk.  From that one season, he suffered both back and foot injuries, and had surgery that would place him on the sidelines for a minimum of at least one year.

It was a very good year.  He shot 62.6% from the floor as he averaged 11.2 points per game on just 23 minutes played.  He also averaged 8.1 rebounds per game, 1.4 assists per game, .9 steals per game to go with 2.6 blocks per game. His accuracy from three point range, if he had any weaknesses on the basketball court, was just 20%.  But his game was close to the boards in college.  Despite the physicality of his position, he was incredibly athletic as well.

He was selected third in that draft.  It was that jumping off the page potential that is so very obvious, even to an untrained eye, which makes Joel Embiid so special.  Perhaps all of his potential won’t translate immediately into his rookie season in the NBA. But Joel Embiid has the potential to epitomize the two-way player that head coach Brett Brown is so fond of on the roster.

Next: The NBA Player