Sixers as Star Wars — Joel Embiid : Darth Vader
Darth Vader. One of the most iconic villains — and heroes — in cinematic history. Everyone loves to hate him. “Oh, he’s too slow.” “Oh, he’s breathing heavy, he’s out of shape.” And yet, at the end of the day, no one could beat him. He was the Chosen One — the man who delivered the galaxy to the light and vanquished the dark.
It was a long and turbulent journey for Vader. He was, for a time, too caught up in his emotions. He struggled to balance the success of his team over his own success. It made him a great fighter, but a flawed fighter. One smarter defenses, or defenders, could game plan for.
He eventually moved past that. Sure, he was a ruthless killer and probably not the most fun to be around (look, not every comparison can match 100 percent), but he got his redemptive arc and became a figure of undeniable historical import, both in the world of Star Wars and in the real world.
Embiid is the Sixers’ Chosen One. The man who will, if the fortunes favor Philadelphia, bring a championship to Broad Street. This is Embiid’s team, and Star Wars’ is — overwhelmingly — Vader’s story. It is the Skywalker saga, and Anakin is the Skywalker who looms large over all nine films. This was the only correct choice for Joel. Apologies to Luke.