Stephen A. Smith and Joel Embiid (X/ Clutch Points and Getty Images)
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is arguably the most dominant big man in the NBA today, excelling on both ends of the floor. Embiid is greatly known for his scoring prowess, as he led the scoring charts during the NBA’s 2021–22 and 2022–23 seasons. His remarkable abilities have not gone unnoticed, with popular sports analyst Stephen A. Smith recognizing his potential as one of the greatest centers ever.
During his appearance on “The OGs Show,” Smith admired Embiid’s talent and claimed that the Sixers’ star is among the “greatest talents in basketball history.”
“Joel Embiid ain’t never played in no Conference Finals. But as a talent at the center position, he is in the conversation as one of the greatest talents we have ever seen in the history of basketball,” Smith said.
“[Joel Embiid] ain’t never play in no Conference Finals. But as a talent at the center position. He is in the conversation as one of the greatest talents we have ever seen in the history of basketball.”
— Stephen A. Smith 🙌
(via @theOGsShow)pic.twitter.com/T7GqltlqMb
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 14, 2024
The Knicks eliminated the 76ers in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. The loss marked the seventh consecutive year the 76ers team exited in the playoffs’ first or second round.
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“Embiid is so great that he hasn’t even gotten out of his comfort zone yet. He needs to understand how to get comfortable being uncomfortable. You can’t create these habits in the playoffs; you have to build them over the six or seven months of the season,” Udonis said.
Embiid’s stellar statistics back up high praise for him despite not being able to lead the 76ers in the conference finals. In the 2021–22 season, he averaged 30.6 points per game. It made him the first center since former 76er Moses Malone to average more than 30 points for a full season.
Embiid, who recently got a new nickname from Steph Curry, repeated this feat in the 2022–23 season, averaging 33.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game.
