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Joel Embiid’s Journey To One Of The NBA’s Most Dominant Big Men

By Ryan Jackson

Oct 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid walks from the dressing room for warmups against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid walks from the dressing room for warmups against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jaunty Jawhawk

By the time the season rolled around, it became clear that there was more than one lottery pick in Kansas’ latest recruiting class. It was a foregone conclusion at the season’s inception that Wiggins would be the No. 1 pick in June’s draft.

But the more time that the Kansas coaching staff had to work with their players at practice and in games, they were forced to admit the Cameroon native had just as good a chance of encountering that same fate as Wiggins did.

The Jayhawks floor spacing, and inside-out attack was of great assistance to Embiid. The 2013-14 college season was his most successful yet in terms of development. He still struggled with foul trouble, though, which limited his minutes to only 23 a night. But per 36 minutes (the standard for any NBA starter), Joel averaged 18 points, 13 rebounds and over four blocks. The player who, four years ago, barely knew what basketball was, had taken the country by storm.

And it wasn’t just the numbers that blew people away, it was the raw ability. Embiid put on nightly clinics on how to operate in the post. In a day and age where guards rule, Embiid was brining back the mobile big man.

But a stress fracture in his back cost him his NCAA Tournament that year, which was the first domino in a series of unlucky breaks.