The NBA has witnessed the Quad Double five times by four men. Is Joel Embiid the Next?
The elusive NBA quad double. Achieved by fewer men than fingers on one hand. It is the act of NBA supremacy. It’s one of the most difficult achievements in the game of basketball, because it depends on athleticism and genetics.
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Joel Embiid appears so far to have both. He has been demonstrating athleticism in his videos, and he’s blessed with a large muscular physique which are the prerequisites. So far, so good. Now for the actual achievement.
The easiest part of the achievement is to score. That’s an easy matter for the NBA. Virtually anyone who makes it to the big leagues can have one night where ten points drops for them. It’s a trio of three-point shots and one free throw, or five field goals. Simple enough.
But when you factor in assists, now you are looking at a much smaller group. This is the group of players who pass to an open shooter who can score. To accomplish this, a player’s head must be in the game for 48 playing minutes. There are no plays off, no daydreaming. To get at or better than 10 points and 10 assists requires a lot of effort, great ball-handling, and a solid comprehension of the game of basketball around that player on any given night.
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