So before we get to talking about this video, yes, Joel Embiid was doing this in an open gym with no one guarding him. We have all seen a lot of guys look good when no one is playing defense.
But how do you not get excited about the possibilities next season watching Embiid go to work here, particularly after watching Markelle Fultz put on a show in the second half of Wednesday’s game? This kid is roughly the size of a yeti, and he’s dropping in threes with ease, comfortably hitting pull-ups off the dribble, and looking like he can credibly help stretch the floor next season.
If we’re just basing assumptions off what we’ve seen him show off during workouts, the shooting touch has been a point of emphasis this offseason. Embiid has been going through drills with the team’s wings at the practice facility, practicing curling off screens and putting up jumper after jumper to prep for next year.
The more of a threat he is to knock down shots, the more the game will open up for Embiid and his teammates. He already showed the ability to attack closeouts, and being a threat as both a roll man and pick-and-pop target will make life easier for the team’s two young playmakers. Paired with his size and strength, he will be borderline unguardable in just his second season of professional basketball.
Let’s just hurry up and get to the fall, alright?