OT: Joel "The Process" Embiid

[Throwback24]

His twitter game is strong as well.

One of the strongest i've ever seen. The process > every raptor nickname. The relevance... we need someone with the personality of an Embiid. I love it.

[TdotRap4Lyfe]

It's a shame he was injured for so long, he could have saved Hinkies career. If a team ever wants to go full rebuild mode, he is definitely the GM to hire.

[ruckus]

His twitter game is strong as well.

One of the strongest i've ever seen. The process > every raptor nickname. The relevance... we need someone with the personality of an Embiid. I love it.

Terrence "Organic Growth" Ross doesn't do it for you?

[CoachJReturns]

His twitter game is strong as well.

One of the strongest i've ever seen. The process > every raptor nickname. The relevance... we need someone with the personality of an Embiid. I love it.

"The Process" is a pretty sick handle. It encapsulates his career perfectly. Don't think I'll ever refer to him by his legal name again.

[pbj]

So...I watched a bit of Embiid a few nights ago and I came away with a certain impression. Then I watched the video of him defending Wall and it confirmed what I had thought.

Dude is absolutely a beast with a ridiculous amount of physical talent.

Dude also has absolutely terrible basketball form.

Both of these are on display in the video of him defending Wall. On the one hand, his feet and quickness are unbelievable for a guy his size. At the same time, his stance is absolutely terrible. A correct defensive posture is knees bent, butt down, shoulders over knees, chest out and back straight. A great test to see if a player is in a good posture is to look at where their head is in relation to their feet. If the head is too far out in front,it means you are leaning too far forward, which not only affects balance, but also puts a lot of strain on the lower back. Embiid's head is WAYYYY out in front of his feet.

Right now, I see a guy who is dominating with speed and strength. For the long-term, for a guy his size who has already dealt with a back injury and two foot surgeries, improving his form is going to be the key to his long-term productivity.

Valid observation but I think that's a little overly critical of a center. No matter how competent he might be out there, perimeter defense will never come naturally to guys that size. I think that's one of those 'take it anyway you can get it" things.

But now I'm curious if other defensive centers have had textbook defensive posture? Far too lazy to look it up but I'd very wager few of even the great defensive ones could be held to the same standards as wings and guards.

[Tofubeque]

Watching him makes me very nervous for his knees and ankles. He's just so big, and does everything with such force.

I'm not sure anyone in the modern NBA really needs to be that strong, and it might help him to drop some weight. But if he stays healthy, he'll be like a better version of Drummond for sure.

[Rapcity_11]

From Kevin Pelton's chat

Am I to crazy to say that Embiid (healthy) is probably a much bigger asset to Philly than even a healthy Simmons?

Kevin Pelton (11:07 AM)
Yes. I don't think there have been many prospects *much* better than Simmons. If we completely wiped away Embiid's injury history and they were somehow both in the same draft at the same point in their career, I would take Embiid. But it's not a huge difference.

Dan (Framingham, MA)

Who's the most impressive rookie you've seen so far?

Kevin Pelton (11:09 AM)
Probably Embiid. In terms of surprising rookies, which is I think more what this is asking? Nicolas Brussino from Dallas looks like a much more legitimate NBA prospect with his outside shooting than I expected based on his Argentinean stats.

Pelton is nuts. If Simmons could shoot (at all) it would be close. But as it stands (minus injuries), Embiid is the way better prospect.

[hankscorpioLA]

So...I watched a bit of Embiid a few nights ago and I came away with a certain impression. Then I watched the video of him defending Wall and it confirmed what I had thought.

Dude is absolutely a beast with a ridiculous amount of physical talent.

Dude also has absolutely terrible basketball form.

Both of these are on display in the video of him defending Wall. On the one hand, his feet and quickness are unbelievable for a guy his size. At the same time, his stance is absolutely terrible. A correct defensive posture is knees bent, butt down, shoulders over knees, chest out and back straight. A great test to see if a player is in a good posture is to look at where their head is in relation to their feet. If the head is too far out in front,it means you are leaning too far forward, which not only affects balance, but also puts a lot of strain on the lower back. Embiid's head is WAYYYY out in front of his feet.

Right now, I see a guy who is dominating with speed and strength. For the long-term, for a guy his size who has already dealt with a back injury and two foot surgeries, improving his form is going to be the key to his long-term productivity.

Valid observation but I think that's a little overly critical of a center. No matter how competent he might be out there, perimeter defense will never come naturally to guys that size. I think that's one of those 'take it anyway you can get it" things.

But now I'm curious if other defensive centers have had textbook defensive posture? Far too lazy to look it up but I'd very wager few of even the great defensive ones could be held to the same standards as wings and guards.

Watch on YouTube

A lot of the video is poor quality, but I think it conveys the point.

In particular, there is a play at 1:38 into the video. Its not a "perimeter" play (because, lets be honest, back then centers were never defending the perimeter), but it highlights exactly what I am talking about.

During the play, David Robinson begins facing the basket on the elbow. As he drives to the lane, watch how as Hakeem moves with him, you can practically draw a vertical line from his feet to his head for the duration of the movement.

IMHO, Hakeem's defensive form is about as close to perfect as you can get.

[pbj]

So...I watched a bit of Embiid a few nights ago and I came away with a certain impression. Then I watched the video of him defending Wall and it confirmed what I had thought.

Dude is absolutely a beast with a ridiculous amount of physical talent.

Dude also has absolutely terrible basketball form.

Both of these are on display in the video of him defending Wall. On the one hand, his feet and quickness are unbelievable for a guy his size. At the same time, his stance is absolutely terrible. A correct defensive posture is knees bent, butt down, shoulders over knees, chest out and back straight. A great test to see if a player is in a good posture is to look at where their head is in relation to their feet. If the head is too far out in front,it means you are leaning too far forward, which not only affects balance, but also puts a lot of strain on the lower back. Embiid's head is WAYYYY out in front of his feet.

Right now, I see a guy who is dominating with speed and strength. For the long-term, for a guy his size who has already dealt with a back injury and two foot surgeries, improving his form is going to be the key to his long-term productivity.

Valid observation but I think that's a little overly critical of a center. No matter how competent he might be out there, perimeter defense will never come naturally to guys that size. I think that's one of those 'take it anyway you can get it" things.

But now I'm curious if other defensive centers have had textbook defensive posture? Far too lazy to look it up but I'd very wager few of even the great defensive ones could be held to the same standards as wings and guards.

Watch on YouTube

A lot of the video is poor quality, but I think it conveys the point.

In particular, there is a play at 1:38 into the video. Its not a "perimeter" play (because, lets be honest, back then centers were never defending the perimeter), but it highlights exactly what I am talking about.

During the play, David Robinson begins facing the basket on the elbow. As he drives to the lane, watch how as Hakeem moves with him, you can practically draw a vertical line from his feet to his head for the duration of the movement.

IMHO, Hakeem's defensive form is about as close to perfect as you can get.

I had a feeling your reply was gonna talk about Hakeem which is also an unfair standard to hold him to, but I'll bite:



That's hardly perfect form, just look at those pixels - standing nearly knees locked, definitely leaning way forward, arms pointed in random directions.
You're right that the lateral movement was perfect but it was in close quarters, and a guarding standing like that 30ft out would get blown by consistently.

Anyway I'm splitting hairs here - lets give it 20 games and then see how he looks.

[FluLikeSymptoms]

Embiid's feet and fluidity are incredible for a guy his size or 6-8 inches shorter. Like many others here I watched every Kansas game he played and you just had to drool, he overshadowed Wiggins completely. And he's no wrestler, good luck in going small against him.

[azorian]

Dude was a beast in college. This shouldn't be a surprise at all. Now him being healthy is another story.



Sent from my Nexus 5 using RealGM mobile app

[CoachJReturns]

Hakeem as a player was about as close to perfect as you could get.

[Mr_NC]

Hope he does well, he's a big who can bang down low but is also mobile enough in the new nba. Id like the trend to go back to dominant bigs this small ball business is way too soft

[twiggy2]

The sixers have crazy potential. This off season they will have bayless, Ben simmons, The process, Okafor, Dario Saric, Luwawu, Covington, Kormaz. 60+ million cap space. The lakers and their own draft pick.

[blindchase]

Not gonna lie, I thought this was gonna be one of those sarcastic face palm threads trolling on Embiid. And I DEFINITELY thought Wall was going to cook him. Pleasantly surprised by that D, and glad to see he may start putting things together.

[raptor jesus]

Embiid was easily the best prospect (talent wise) in what was considered one of the best classes in recent history. If he can stay healthy, he could be a generational type talent.

[hankscorpioLA]

I had a feeling your reply was gonna talk about Hakeem which is also an unfair standard to hold him to, but I'll bite:



That's hardly perfect form, just look at those pixels - standing nearly knees locked, definitely leaning way forward, arms pointed in random directions.
You're right that the lateral movement was perfect but it was in close quarters, and a guarding standing like that 30ft out would get blown by consistently.

Anyway I'm splitting hairs here - lets give it 20 games and then see how he looks.

For sure.

But again, my comments are not based solely on that one play. This is something I have seen from him consistently through the preseason, along with several other problematic habits that I didn't even mention.

Now....lots of guys can get through a career without these kinds of things affecting them.

But when you are a 7 footer who, at 22, has already had a serious back injury and two foot surgeries, form should be a major priority.

[hankscorpioLA]

The sixers have crazy potential. This off season they will have bayless, Ben simmons, The process, Okafor, Dario Saric, Luwawu, Covington, Kormaz. 60+ million cap space. The lakers and their own draft pick.

Sure....of course....

Embiid - coming off two foot surgeries
Okafor - coming off knee surgery
Simmons - just had foot surgery

[Hero]

So mobile compared to our stiffs.

Wish we had him on the Raptors. Instead BC gets to look like an amazing GM.

[Patman]

So mobile compared to our stiffs.

Wish we had him on the Raptors. Instead BC gets to look like an amazing GM.

BC didn't draft Embiid.