Joel Embiid is without a doubt one of the best big men in the modern game. A bruising center with a throwback game, his playstyle harkens back to a different era. However, he also has some elements of the modern game in his playstyle: Joel Embiid has become a great 3PT shooter this season, knocking down 37.8% of his 3PT attempts this season. Joel Embiid’s game draws upon many different players and shows his versatility as a unicorn big man, one that can do everything on the court.
During his recent matchup against the Golden State Warriors, Joel Embiid finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds, showing his dominance on the interior. Despite Embiid’s amazing individual performance, the Philadelphia 76ers ended up losing the matchup, as they were without Tobias Harris and Ben Simmons. Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr lauded the big man prior to that game and praised his varied skill set. Justin Grasso reported on Kerr’s words.
He’s so gifted, it’s really incredible. When you watch him, it’s almost like watching one of the great centers from the 80s or 90s, only with the added dimension of the skill set of the modern-day player. The one-legged shots, Dirk fade-aways, the Euro — all of the stuff that the modern players have worked on, Joel has worked on. He’s one of the very few guys in the entire league who can also just back you down like an 80s or 90s center and dominate the game. He’s really a unique force in the league today.
Joel Embiid is certainly an incredible player, and that shows in the fact that he is one of the leaders in the MVP race. Joel Embiid is a two-way force that can dominate on both defense and offense, and the double teams he draws give his team more space to operate. Joel Embiid’s dominance also shows in his team’s position in the rankings, as they are currently the 1st seed in the Eastern Conference. Simply put, Joel Embiid has been nearly unstoppable this season, and his dominance looks like it will continue into the postseason.