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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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Dec 21, 2013; Lawrence, KS, USA; Kansas Jayhawks center Joel Embiid (21) celebrates after scoring during the second half of the game against the Georgetown Hoyas at Allen Fieldhouse. Kansas won 86-64. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Embed takes in the atmosphere at the raucous Allen Fieldhouse as a Jayhawk. /

The Draft

Joel Embiid declared for the draft in early April, and bar anything unforeseen, was a lock for the top-three. His back was healing right on schedule, and after a few workouts with the Cavaliers, experts were tentatively predicting them to select him with the first overall pick.

But just days before the draft, Joel underwent foot surgery to repair a navicular bone in his right foot. It was a surgery that hadn’t been particularly kind to big men. Many never fully have their speed and agility return. Embiid was now being branded as an injury-prone big man, whose inability to stay healthy would cost him a productive career, queue Greg Oden.

Still shaken from the Anthony Bennett catastrophe two years prior, the Cavs weren’t willing to take such a risk. They opted to go with the safer pick, Embiid’s teammate, Andrew Wiggins.

The Bucks at No. 2 always had their sights set on Jabari Parker, and Joel was taken at No. 3 by Philadelphia.