No. 1: Joel Embiid
2017-18 defensive stats: 0.6 steals, 1.8 blocks, 2.5 defensive box +/-, 3.8 defensive win shares
It’s simple: when Joel Embiid is off the floor, the Philadelphia 76ers turn into a different team. His arsenal of post moves and his ability to step out and knock down a mid-range J or a three-pointer means he provides a huge threat on offense, but the Cameroonian center is irreplaceable on the defensive end of the floor.
Embiid ended the season with the fourth-highest blocks per game average (1.8) in the NBA and the seventh-highest block percentage (4.8 percent). His backup, Amir Johnson, posted 1.4 blocks per-36 minutes while Embiid blocks 2.1 shots per-36. In addition, Johnson only put up a 3.1 block percentage in 2017/18.
The 7-foot-2 center also revealed his value in the defensive rating category. He only allowed 100.5 points per 100 possessions, which trailed just two players: Andre Drummond and 2018 Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. His ability to anchor down the middle makes things so much easier on his teammates since they know their opponents still have to beat the Process if they get blown by on the perimeter.
That peace of mind is priceless, and it would have given LeBron James the opportunity to focus on offense, but apparently, the best player in the world wanted to play with young players who went 35-47 last year in L.A. rather than young players who won 52 games in the City of Brotherly Love.
Anyways, the decision regarding who to name as the best defender on the Sixers becomes hard when statistics like steal percentage, defensive win shares, and defensive box plus/minus enter the discussion. In steal percentage, Covington finished 12th in the league, Simmons finished 15th, and Embiid did not rank in the top 20. Both perimeter players finished above Embiid in defensive win shares, and the Australian point guard finished above the Cameroonian in defensive box plus/minus.
There is no undisputed winner in this debate, but Embiid deserves top spot because he helps the Sixers win the mental battle in each game. No player wants to attack a 7-foot-2, 250-pound center with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. The Philadelphia 76ers become a lesser team when he leaves the floor, and his mere presence paired with his ability to block shots like he’s playing volleyball make him the best and most important defender on the team.