On Wednesday, Kevin Durant added himself to the long list of Joel Embiid admirers.
Speaking on the ‘Boardroom’ podcast, the 2x MVP raved about Embiid’s dominance on the basketball court, seemingly agreeing that the big man is like a mix of sorts between Kobe, Hakeem, and Shaq, able to show elements of each throughout any given moment of a game.
“He’s really unstoppable,” Durant said of the MVP frontrunner. “He said something where he was like I can transform from like Kobe, to Hakeem, to Shaq, to a couple other players and I was like, ‘Yo, you’re telling the truth.'”
.@KDTrey5 on Joel Embiid:
"He's really unstoppable. He said something where he was like I can transform from like Kobe, to Hakeem, to Shaq, to a couple other players and I was like, 'Yo, you're telling the truth.'" pic.twitter.com/K7IQQaBtAa
— Boardroom (@boardroom) March 9, 2022
What makes Embiid so unique is that he’s able to do so much for his size. Despite being a 7-foot, 350-pound machine who can score under the rim and in the post, he can also hit jumpers in many different ways and in all kinds of different spots.
While using names like Hakeem, Bryant, and Shaq to describe him may be overkill, Durant isn’t the only one to see what he brings to the game.
He’s the best player in the game of basketball. We talked about babies… If Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Durant had a baby, guess what: it would be Joel Embiid that came out,” said Kendrick Perkins.
“He’s so skilled, and he took that matchup personal yesterday. He cannot be guarded. If you watch him, he has everything in his arsenal. I mean step back 3 pointers, it’s so beautiful to watch. Spreading the floor, running with great speed and great pace… can play bully ball too, getting and 1s, going to the low block… He’s the best player in basketball.
This season may be the best we’ve seen from Embiid. Through 52 games, he’s averaging 29.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on 49% shooting. The Sixers are 2nd in the East with a 40-24 record overall.
While it remains to be seen how far Embiid will take his squad in the playoffs, it is clear that he has already earned the respect of his peers and countless fans around the globe.
