After years of having centers in the NBA slowly fall out of vogue as the game moved to the perimeter, many people wondered if we’ll ever see a big man score at the volume of a modern-day guard. We saw that last season with Joel Embiid leading the league in scoring by averaging over 30 points a game.
Embiid’s game has developed and gotten better every season. Embiid was a risky pick by the 76ers in 2014, but the star has proven that he was worth the risk, and he is the best player they have had on their team since Allen Iverson. Naturally, Daryl Morey recognizes the incredible talent he has on his 76ers team. Morey spoke highly about Joel and called him the most skilled big man he’s ever been around.
"He's the most skilled big man I've ever been around."
Daryl Morey continues to be impressed by Joel Embiid@BGeltzNBA | @SamMitchellNBA | @Sixers | @dmorey pic.twitter.com/ZsbOVWkGij
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) September 29, 2022
“With Joel, every offseason, he’s adding something. He’s the most skilled big man I have ever been around and he works on his game, to show his ability handle the ball, shoot from all areas of the floor, he’s super unique. He puts that work in so that he can show it on the floor.”
Is It Fair To Call Joel Embiid The Most Skilled Big Man In NBA History?
Prior to coming to Philadelphia, Morey was the GM of the Houston Rockets. The greatest player in that franchise is the man people consider arguably one of the most skilled big men ever in Hakeem Olajuwon. Hakeem had a robust offensive skill set and one of the greatest defensive skill sets of all time, ending his career as the all-time leader in blocks.
Nikola Jokic doesn’t have the defensive skill that Embiid does, but he is one of the most unique offensive big men we have ever seen in the history of the game. Outside these 2, there are many other players that can stake a claim to this title, like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, and more.
Embiid is still working on his game, but he needs to have some more accolades to back up the claim made by Morey. The league has seen its fair share of extremely skilled centers. Embiid is definitely one of them, but it may be a stretch to call him the most skilled ever.
