Joel Freaking Embiid
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To Dylans poll… While I’m a big Embiid fan (that video was awesome) and his ceiling is sky high (as is his wingspan) Curry is one of the greatest shooters ever to hit the NBA and averaged 30pts a game last year. So for now I’d take Curry. Now maybe in a few years if Joel keeps getting better…
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Maybe, but the global population numbers favor there being a lot more. They are spread around the world. There are probably enough out there for every NBA team to start one, if a systematic effort were made. Remember: Joel was considered a project even when he came to KU by most. But all it took were some real basketball men like Self and Norm and the lights went off!!!
The problem with the system of finding them is that there are really only a handful of persons in the world that are qualified to judge which big guys have the get better gene to go along with the obvious size and athleticism variables.
Why is Self so successful? Because he can pick guys out that he can.coach up…that have the get better gene.
If we gave Self a sabbatical and a bunch of inoculations and sent him to Africa for a year and he really went into all the scary, hard to get to places, he would probably come back with 2-3 guys and 2 of them would make it. It’s numbers and pattern recognition of the getting better gene.
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At this time, the potential for Embiid is incredibly high; however, we have yet to find out how if his body can take the abuse of playing close to 40 minutes per game for the 80+ games in the NBA season which is required of a franchise player. I might change my mind in a couple of years…
Curry would be an interesting choice but even when he is an amazing shooter and overall player, he still is somewhat of a one dimensional player. If I had to pick one player, my choice would be either LeBron, who I don’t like much, or Durant who I like a lot. These two are the most complete players in the NBA…in my opinion, of course.
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@JayHawkFanToo agreed about KD
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The playoffs last season showed that LeBron is still the gold standard.
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Embid started off the night with 11 points in 11 minutes. A. Davis 3 in 10
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@JayHawkFanToo I agree. I’d hear people in Kobe v. Lebron arguments (this was before stephs limelight) and it wasn’t even close in my mind. Lebron is the most complete NBA player since MJ in my opinion.
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Embid is the frontrunner for ROY and now being talked about as an NBA All-Star.
http://www.csnphilly.com/philadelphia-76ers/joel-embiid-all-star-consideration-it-would-be-exciting
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Wow, that is pretty dang impressive.
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The challenge with big men is threefold.
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Coordination. Is this guy coordinated enough with both footwork and catching ability to play basketball? How many times have we seen big men that just don’t have the hand eye coordination to catch the ball or block shots, or don’t have the coordination to master even basic footwork in the post?
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Agility. Can this guy run? Can he slide laterally? Can he jump with minimal load? Can he spin and move in traffic? If you watch HS basketball, how often do you see a bigger kid (taller than 6-8) that is okay in space, but if you run a double team at him, he’s hopelessly lost? Just not agile enough to move in a crowd.
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Health. Being that big is hard on your joints and ligaments. Back problems. Foot problems. Knee problems. Ankle problems.
So let’s look at the greats. Walton checked the first two boxes, but health took him down. Olajuwon had it all. Wilt had it all. Kareem had it all. Shaq had it all, but even for the ones who had it all, health ultimately limited them as they aged. Even Tim Duncan struggled with foot problems early in his career before making some training adjustments.
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Too late in their respective carreers to start a franchise around LeBron 31 (best player hands down today but in 5 years?) or Curry 28 really. Embiid 22 is freakin’ awesome, but he’s gotta stay healthy.
I don’t care for the NBA, so I have little clue who the best young guards/wings are - Kyrie 24 and NBA champ? Portzingis 21 ?, Wiggins 21?
The number by the name is their age.
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Russel Westbrook as been a triple double machine this season…
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I was thinking 25 year old or younger would probaly be better. I forgot baby face Curry is 28 years old, so is Westbrook.
I would hate to start a franchise with an old LBJ and waste his final years while his production hampers our ability to draft high and get him complemetary pieces. I would start with a young Embiid or Anthony Davis personally and accumulate better pieces as the team matures in the next 3 years.
The original point was completely lost in the way I phrased the question and should’ve phrased the question.
Would you start your franchise with a guard or a post player?
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Just read an article about the possibility of Jo, Jo making the all star game, - -quite real. Getting props from Coaches, & players pretty sweet:
Latest encounter with what some believe the best center in the N.B.A - -DeMarcus Cousins. Pretty much a stand off. - -Jo, Jo 25 pts, 8 rebs, 2 blks , 2 steals in 29 minutes - -although ooops 8 turnovers. - -Cousins had 30 pts- -7 rebs, - -2 blks - -and 3 steals. - -Cousins said later - -I like that kid ALOT. - - I don’t give people a lot of props, but I really like that kid. - - I think he has a great chance to be the best big in the league - - AFTER I retire.
Sacramento Coach - - It should be illegal to be that big and that talented at the same time lmao. So far Jo Jo for the season is at 18.7 ppg - - 7.4 rpg- -2,4 blks per game – & 46.8 shooting % in avg 24.7 minutes per game.- - he leads all rookies in several different stats - -OUR BOY IS AN ANIMAL. - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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Go up six posts
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@Ralph - - YA? - - AND? – -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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The video of that game was awesome. Two superstar centers going at it and having fun. They were smiling and laughing. Pretty cool to see because it’s so rare. Everyone plays with a scowl on their face like it’s war or something.
By the way @Ralph’s comment was referring to the article he posted which you referred to. He was first in other words!
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@wissox that was really cool coming from boogie!
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@wissox OH WELL HELL my bad - - hate coming in 2nd lol - - -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY
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there were several articles that came out at the sametime. The one you posted about had more stats and it never hurts to talk about a good thing. The main reason I posted the one I did was for this paragraph.
The NBA is rolling out a new voting format for the 2017 All-Star Game. Fans will make up 50 percent of the voting, with current players and media members splitting the other half. Each player can fill out one ballot and can vote for themselves.
So get out and vote Embid
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@Ralph and wiggs
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Voting for the NBA All-Star game began on December 25th and goes until Monday, January 16th at 11:59 p.m. ET. You can vote 10 times per day on NBA.com/vote or on Twitter.
Do like we did the Royals and vote all the NBA JAYHAWKS IN
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I would probably start a franchise around Kawhi Leonard if I had to choose. He’s only 25 and is a bona fide superstar. He’s a two way player that guards the best wings in the league night in and night out, plus he is now a 24 ppg scorer.
Give me that guy, and I will figure out what the heck to put around him.
Cousins attitude would scare me out of making him my centerpiece. Davis has had injury/ durability problems. Lots of guys are probably a little too old (James, Durant, Westbrook, Curry, Harden, etc.) though their talent is enticing.
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@justanotherfan Good choice! He’s one heck of a guard. Right or wrong big man talent is more attractive to me as excellent big men are much more rare than excellent guards.
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@dylans coach selfs choice!
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Damian Lillard?
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@JayHawkFanToo gotta play D
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@Crimsonorblue22 exactly what I was thinking!
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I would start my team with Wilt Chamberlain. He’s probably better dead than I am alive!
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@Ralph Hell yah, I voted for JoJo! #NBAVOTE
I also voted for Wiggins, Steph Curry, Durant
And The Morrii
And Cole and Rush
I had to
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@wissox I’m trying really hard not to say anything!
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@jayballer54 I know! I saw that article. Cool of Ex UK guy Boogie Cousins to give props to Embiid. But, I gotta say that Joel WILL be the best Center in the league in less than 5 years and Joel WILL stay healthy.
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Embiid on Cousins: ““I don’t think I’m going to wait until he retires to be the best big man in the league.” https://t.co/sXOKUshDds
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Ouch.
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@Ralph said:
Do like we did the Royals and vote all the NBA JAYHAWKS IN
Heck, vote all the Royals in again!
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I like big man talent, but of the best young big men Davis and Embiid have had injury/durability problems, Cousins has had issues and might be a coach killer, and I have not seen enough of Towns yet to decide if I would put my entire franchise in his hands (interesting that three of those guys are Kentucky guys).
I know Leonard has had injuries as well, but as a perimeter player, his injuries worry me less because he hasn’t lost any explosiveness or quickness. With big guys, you have to worry about the wear and tear on old injuries just because of their size. Will Embiid’s early career injuries pop back up in five years? Will Davis continue to have various injuries that shorten his career or undercut his production? Will Cousins be a classic good stats/ bad team guy? Can Towns sustain his play?
I like Lillard, but his value decreases because he is not a top notch defender. Having a great two way player is just so valuable that I would actually pass on having the better offensive talent (Lillard) because Leonard’s defensive value makes him an amazing option.
We’ve already seen Leonard at the highest level of the game. We know he’s a winner, we know he has his health (and that Popovich will make sure he gets rest). We don’t know that about any of those big guys yet.
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Jo Jo will be an All-Star because he really, really wants to be with Rihana.
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The NBA is about to rediscover the awesome force of the big man in basketball.
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She is nothing but trouble for him. He needs to be careful with what he wishes he might actually get it…and regret it. Hopefully he has advisors steering him in the right direction; he is young and smart and he will learn and do well.
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I agree. I just threw Lillard’s name because he is an exciting offense player and as we all know, offense sells tickets, defense wins championships.
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Should he be called
The Process
or
Transformer
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@JayHawkFanToo she will never fall for him. It’s a joke, but maybe it might be a dream come true.
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@justanotherfan You are in excellent company with your selection as Bill Self named Kawhi Leonard as his current favorite NBA player.
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High praise for Embiid, yet again…
Embiid had a couple of loud dunks against Boston and finished with a team-best 23 points. Embiid is the first 76er since Allen Iverson (2006) to have five straight games of 23 points or more.
And despite barking at him on the court, Thomas gushed about Embiid’s potential.
“He’s talented. He’s going to be special,” said Thomas. “He has the right attitude. You can tell from afar he’s a workhorse, he’s unselfish, he’s a big body that can do it all. Once they get some really good pieces around him, they’re going to turn it on.”
Echoed Celtics guard Avery Bradley: “[Embiid is] special. He has everything. It’s almost like you’re going to have to double-team him. You’re just going to have to double-team him. I see some of the plays that he makes and he’s way ahead of his time. And he’s only going to get better. He’s a good kid and he works hard. The sky’s the limit for him.”
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@dylans I never knew Thomas was so good and so short! Averaging 27 a game this season at 5’9" is pretty amazing.
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@wissox I thought he was just a “name”. Turns out he’s got the genetics and drive too! Heck of a baller
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@dylans thats cool as $h&^
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@dylans Joel so deserves an NBA All star spot this season.
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slightly off topic. If Isaiah Thomas at 5’9" can be a really good NBA guard for the Celtics, then Frank Mason can do the very same thing. Hell, Sherron had his chance, he just effed it up cuz he was out of shape.
