5. He will average 13+ rebounds per game
At 7-foot-2, Embiid is one of the biggest players in the NBA. He overwhelms most centers with sheer force, planting himself underneath and using his massive frame to carve out space. Naturally he’s an elite rebounder.
Last season, Embiid averaged 11 rebounds in 30.3 minutes per game. As his conditioning improves and he plays more minutes, that number is bound to increase. Aiming for 13 per game seems like a reasonable (and attainable) goal for next season.
Embiid already averaged 13 boards per 36 minutes last season. On top of that, Drew Hanlen stated that Embiid is working on his “bully-ball mentality” this summer. That means he’ll be attacking the rim more on offense, potentially leading to more offensive rebounds.
On the defensive glass, Embiid rebounding percentage ranked in the 89th percentile among bigs last season, according to Cleaning The Glass. He’s already one of the best on that end.
This should be consistent with Embiid’s continued growth in year three. He’s already an elite talent, but will still find ways to improve as long as he’s healthy. At 24 years old, Embiid is still a few years from hitting his peak.