Joel Embiid Is Heading For Beast Mode

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Jan 10, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) warms up before the game against the Indiana Pacers at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /

He’s a Kansas wunderkind

How do you turn a raw nearly 7′ basketball prospect into a basketball star? You don’t. He does it for you, as described in this Sporting News interview by Mike DeCourcy on January 22, 2014:

"“He’s very, very, very bright, but I don’t think he’s caught up with what the world says. I told Joel as soon as he stepped foot on campus: You’re going to be the No. 1 pick. Now, I’m not saying it will be this year. I don’t think it should be a surprise to him, because he’s been told all along he is capable of doing this.” – Jayhawk coach Self after Embiid put up a near triple double against the Oklahoma State"

But you want it all now, do you? It will take time, a fact that Joel Embiid is very very aware of. Time heals. Time educates. Time becomes wisdom. Check out this interview from the same article:

"“It’s experience,” Embiid told Sporting News. “Even in high school, I wasn’t consistent. I would have games where I’d have 20 and 15, and the next game I’d have 5 and 5. I need to get that consistency. I think I’ll be good after that. I’m working. I think over the past couple games, I’ve been good overall, but some good halves of basketball and other ones that are bad. “I think it’s just me. When I come to the game, I have to have the mindset: I want to do this. I’ve got to block that many shots, get that many steals. In my mind, I’ve got to be like, ‘No one can stop me.’ ”"

How can this be? How can a young man with virtually no basketball background be on the course to NBA stardom?

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