The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Joel Embiid shines in first NBA Africa Game

By Christopher Kline

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 4: Joel Embiid #21 of Team Africa reacts during the game against Team World during the 2018 NBA Africa Game as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa on August 4, 2018 at the Time Square Sun Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA - AUGUST 4: Joel Embiid #21 of Team Africa reacts during the game against Team World during the 2018 NBA Africa Game as part of the Basketball Without Borders Africa on August 4, 2018 at the Time Square Sun Arena in Pretoria, South Africa. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Philadelphia 76ers star shined bright in his first NBA Africa Game appearance.

Starving NBA fans got a brief basketball fix Saturday morning, with numerous NBA stars participating in the league’s third annual NBA Africa Game. The game was the culmination of several days worth of charitable work and camps around the continent.

In a face-off between Team World and Team Africa, the former emerged victorious by a score of 96-92. Clippers forward Danilo Gallinari was the MVP, scoring 23 points on an efficient 9-10 shooting.

The best performer, however, was on Team Africa — and it happened to be resident Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid. The big fella flashed his impressive skill set on both sides of the ball, scoring a game-high 24 points and making his presence felt defensively.

More from Sixers News

As expected, the intensity didn’t match that of an actual NBA game. Embiid still made some nice hustle plays, though, meeting players at the rim on multiple occasions. He also got some decent playing time, not checking out of the first quarter until under the three minute mark.

Embiid, who is a native of Cameroon, stressed in interviews that he plans on participating in the NBA Africa Game every year. Working with Basketball Without Borders, the players were all involved in numerous camps around the continent.

It was at those very same camps that Embiid was discovered by Luc Mbah a Moute in 2011.

In addition to working the camps, players were involved in charitable work that included building houses for various families. The broadcast also featured a segment in which Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes traveled around Soweto, South Africa, immersing himself in the local culture and touring Nelson Mandela’s childhood home.

For obvious reasons, this was a special week for the players involved — especially those like Embiid, who grew up in Africa and went through the same process that current-day campers are experiencing.

This was the third time in three years that Team World won the game, but that is secondary to the charitable work and cultural significance of what the players were brought there to do. Few players are better-equipped to represent the NBA (and the Sixers) on that stage than Embiid.

Brett Brown has performed admirably in GM role. dark. Next

We also got a brief taste of Embiid vs. Hassan Whiteside, with JoJo drawing two fouls on the Heat center within minutes of him checking in. That, of course, was an enjoyable experience. JaVale McGee and Whiteside both hit threes over the course of the game, to boot.