Scoring is an integral part of being a top NBA player. Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid has mastered that art, becoming one of the top bucket-getters in the league over the past few years. A testament to the big man's scoring ability is that he took home two NBA scoring titles in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, averaging 30.6 and 33.1 points per game, respectively.
Putting up north of 30.0 points per contest against the best pool of basketball players in the world is no small deal. After all, the Sixers big man has to face elite defenses day in and day out.
Embiid says he could average 50 points per game
What if the 76ers star no longer had to face double-teams on the court? How many points would he hypothetically average? Well, the 2023 NBA MVP answered the question in a recent episode of The Check Ball podcast.
" No doubles? 50," Embiid said . "Not even kidding. I would cuz all you would have to do is just throw the ball down there every single possession. I'll get to the free-throw line every [single time], or I'll score. Most teams, they have what? Two big men? Three big men? Next thing you know, they're all going to be in foul trouble."
The seven-time All-Star showed nothing but confidence in his scoring abilities. While Embiid claims he could easily average 50 points per game, fans will most likely never see this version of the Cameroonian on the court.
It's simple: No team in the NBA will allow a player of his caliber to roam freely on the court without getting double—or even triple-teamed.
Embiid in the GOAT debate?
The NBA community has always been very proactive regarding the GOAT debate. Usually, the likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Kobe Bryant are involved in the debate.
However, Embiid believes he could have been among those players if it wasn't for an injury-riddled career .
"I think I'm that talented," Joel said . "If you think about it, the thing that stopped me all these years is just freak injuries. Every single playoffs, regular season, people falling on my knee or breaking my face — twice. It's always freak injuries at the wrong time."
Fans will never know the true potential of the two-time NBA Scoring Champ, as he is already 30 years old. Entering the GOAT debate might be a stretch, but he could have certainly been more consistent if it wasn't for the constant injuries throughout his career.
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