If Kristaps Porzingis is an NBA unicorn, then I don’t know what kind of absurd mythical creature Joel Embiid is. We knew Embiid was special, but even the most optimistic of us didn’t expect him to be this good, this fast. He’s a human highlight reel every time he sets foot on the court — bombing threes, trapping guards at midcourt, protecting the rim — at 7-2, he’s the new archetype of the modern NBA center. “The Process” can do it all.
And yet, it’s striking how discernible his flaws are in relation to his ridiculous production. His turnover rate is absurdly high, his screen-setting leaves much to be desired, he hasn’t yet learned how to handle the pressure of double teams, and he still looks a little lost on the court at times. You can almost see him thinking before reacting, as if his basketball instincts are a step behind the speed of the game — after all, this is still a rookie who has yet to intuitively learn the economy of every offensive set and defensive rotation.
As incredible as Embiid has been — and he’s damn near dominating the league in his 22.2 minutes per game — he still has tons of room to grow. And that’s scary. Once that minutes restriction is removed and Embiid becomes more comfortable and confident on the court, the sky’s the limit. It’s been a long time since the Sixers have had a bona fide superstar — now, the wait is over. The Process has arrived.