http://ift.tt/2yfvdpJ Joel Embiid showed off some dazzling moves just 2 days after signing a jaw-dropping $147 million contract
http://ift.tt/2ycnQSi
AP Photo/Julie Jacobson
It’s been a long few seasons for the Philadelphia 76ers.
With the mantra of "Trust the Process" ringing through the City of Brotherly Love, fans hunkered down for season after season of uncompetitive basketball hoping that the fruits of their suffering would eventually form of a championship-caliber core of players.
One of the most important pieces of this ongoing puzzle is Joel Embiid — the seven-foot-tall Cameroonian center who has embraced the "Trust the Process" as much as anybody.
Heading into the 2017-18 season, the Sixers are ready to push their chips to the center of the table and see if their bet pays off, trading up to snag Markelle Fultz with the first overall pick in the 2017 draft and paying veteran sharpshooter J.J. Redick $9 million on a one-year deal to bring him to Philadelphia. The team also extended Embiid with a deal worth $147 million despite playing just 31 games in his first three seasons combined.
With all the ingredients in place, it was time to see if The Process could potentially come to fruition, and on Wednesday night, Sixers fans got a huge sign towards the affirmative.
Embiid, the third pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, made his preseason debut and showed that he can be a force, putting up 22 points in just 15 minutes against the Nets. He also made numerous highlight-reel worthy plays that quickly sent Philadelphia Twitter into a fervor.
Embiid opened the scoring for the Sixers with a jumper from the elbow that looked smooth and reliable. While not the most gut-busting play you’ll see, it served as a nice appetizer for what was to come.
In the second quarter, Embiid put on display a new, potentially devastating part of his arsenal, working the baseline before stepping back with a Dirk-esque kick to create space before nailing another short jumper.
On another play, he worked his defender to draw a foul before going high off the glass for another bucket — and showed a bit of outward confidence after the play that will be welcome when he gets back to Philadelphia.
Embiid also gave fans a preview of his deep range, hitting an after-the-whistle shot from the center-court logo. While the shot didn’t count, knowing that Embiid has the potential to hit shots from Stephen Curry range makes him an even more nightmarish matchup for opposing defenses.
He showed off his passing ability as a big man, finding Ben Simmons for an easy bucket.
And in arguably the most exciting development of the night, Embiid showed off his ability to serve as a game-changing defensive presence for the Sixers, working from behind the play to block Allen Crabbe.
While it was only 15 minutes in one preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets, Embiid’s play on Wednesday will go a long way towards assuring Sixers fans that he could continue to develop into one of the best players in the league. And with an up-and-coming core that includes some of the brightest young talents in the Eastern Conference, there’s no reason that the Sixers couldn’t make a playoff push this year if Embiid can stay healthy.
NOW WATCH: I went on the Tom Brady diet and workout plan and it changed my life — here’s what it was like
See Also:
- Joel Embiid’s shocking $147 million contract has an out that protects the 76ers from its biggest risk
- No. 1 NBA draft pick Markelle Fultz suddenly changed his shot, and the early results are concerning
- The 76ers are taking a massive $148 million gamble on Joel Embiid
business
via Business Insider http://ift.tt/eKERsB
October 12, 2017 at 01:48PM