Man, Joel Embiid has been on a run. Over the last week, the big man from Philadelphia has given some wild quotes. Whether it was calling his Olympic teammates ‘old’ or whining about his team, it hasn’t been a good look on the 2022 NBA MVP. But, as more news drops day by day, it isn’t getting any better for Joel. The latest was a bit of an overstatement by even those lofty standards.
During an appearance at the Check Ball Show, he went to the old Michael Jordan meme. For years, even decades, the slight changes in defensive rules have allowed media pundits and ex-players to superlate Michael’s scoring prowess. As a result, a comment like “Jordan would average 50 in today’s NBA” is almost commonplace and heard by virtually every fan. Well, as it turns out, the man with the highest single-season scoring average since Jordan, has a similar view of himself. However, he too, has one specific condition.
Joel Embiid makes a wild proclamation for himself
Over the last few seasons, no player has been as consistently devastating as a scorer as Joel Embiid, barring maybe Luka Doncic. For 3 straight years, he has been averaging over 30 ppg. Due to injuries forcing him to miss time, in his last 2 healthy seasons, JoJo has led the league in scoring, with averages of 30.1 and 33.1 ppg. Last season, before he was basically shut down for the year, he was averaging 34.7 ppg. Additionally, he is one of only 16 players to have a 50-point double-double in the playoffs.
All this to say, Embiid is an outstanding, otherworldly offensive talent. But, with his latest quotes, he may have gone slightly overboard. As a rule of thumb, Joel is consistently facing double teams throughout games. Due to his inefficiency and unwillingness to pass, although he has improved in that area, teams are quick to send the double at him. However, in a space where those might be absent, he believes he could crack the 50 ppg mark.
“No doubles? Fifty [points per game]. Not even kidding. I would. Because all you would have to do is just throw the ball down there [into the post] every single possession and I’ll get to the free-throw line or I’ll score. Most teams have what—two big men, three big men?—next thing you know they’re all going to be in foul trouble.”
The comment feels wildly out of proportion. For one, Embiid is consistently among the league leaders in free throw attempts. In 5 of his 8 seasons, the 7-time All-Star has had over 10 FTA a game. Further, in his record-breaking scoring run over the last 3 years, he shows more than 11 free throws per night. As a result, his calls about getting bigs in foul trouble seem disingenuous. While the rules certainly favor his playstyle in this day and age, Embiid has made the most of those opportunities.
The last few weeks have seen Embiid at his vocal, trolling best. But, with expectations mounting year after year, especially with the lack of playoff success for the Philadelphia 76ers in his tenure, Joel has to have an answer for the naysayers. Do you think he can finally rewrite his legacy?
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