76ers coach Doc Rivers has worked with many NBA superstars over his career. From Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, Rivers clearly knows a star when he sees it and he knows which ones have what it takes to go all the way.
But according to Doc, Sixers big man Joel Embiid is the best talent he’s ever coached, even over the great Kevin Garnett, who led the Celtics to a championship in 2008.
“He’s the best talent I’ve ever coached and I’ve coached some pretty good players. Garnett was different. But that’s the difference between Joel then and now. Two years ago, I don’t know if he could have mentally gotten through the poor shooting and I don’t know if he would have done the rest. Now he’s doing more.”
https://twitter.com/BySamDiGiovanni/status/1629146197473501186
At first glance, it doesn’t like a super hot take from Rivers. With career averages of 33 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game on 53% shooting, Embiid is clearly one of the best players in the game today and he certainly qualifies for being among the most talented big men ever.
Still, some fans couldn’t help but feel slighted for Kevin Garnett, who is a former MVP, 15x All-Star, and NBA Hall of Famer. Most importantly, Garnett has a championship to his resume, which is more than Embiid has done in his career so far.
Can Joel Embiid Finally Make A Finals Run?
The NBA is as deep and talented as ever, and the 76ers are right there in the thick of things for the top seed in the East. Thanks to the heroics of Embiid, and playmaking point guard James Harden, the 76ers are 3rd in the standings with a 39-19 record overall.
The biggest question, though, is undoubtedly Embiid’s durability. After multiple years of freak playoff injuries, Embiid hasn’t been able to get past the second round of the playoffs.
If he can stay healthy this year, and James Harden rises to the occasion, Philadelphia might just shock the world.
I have to see it to believe it at this point, but Doc Rivers certainly doesn’t seem short on confidence that the big guy can carry them further than they’ve gone before.
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