Center forward Joel Embiid is a force on the NBA basketball courts for the Philadelphia 76ers. The 29-year-old has been posting an average of 35.5 points per game, but is currently trying to come back for the late season from an injury to his left meniscus.
That day can’t come soon enough for his teammates in Philadelphia. Embiid, who is the current Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the NBA, is a scoring machine, having scored the fourth most points in 400 games with 10,913. Michael Jordan, Alex English and LeBron James sit in the three spots above, but the 76ers’ man has spent fewer minutes on the court than everyone else in the top 50 in the metric. That’s how impressive he is and part of why he’s such a vital piece of the Philadelphia side, as a result, his team head into most matches as favorites based on the recent scores and odds. Below is a look at his performance this season, at changes that have bolstered his performance, his leadership and his impact on the Philadelphia 76ers.
2023-24 performance
To put it quite simply, Joel Embiid is a menace around the basket if you’re on the other team. The San Antonio Spurs will testify to this. In December 2023, Embiid posted 70 points against them during the 76ers’ 133-123 win over the side. To go with them in his one-man rampage, he logged 18 rebounds, which was a career high, and five assists, and had also made 21 of 23 free throws.
That’s just one game, of course, for this player who has an offensive rating of 126.1 and a defensive one of 122.8. As well as his PPG, he’s amassed an average of 11.3 rebounds per game (RPG) and 5.7 assists per game (APG) over the season. His Player Impact Estimate (PIE) stands at 22.3. He’s attempted 754 field goals and made 402, attempted 112 three-point field goals and made 41, and scored 165 out of 246 of his shots from a distance of less than 5 feet. Teams need to be guarding the rim as if their life depends on it when Embiid is around, which is easier said than done.
Embiid has come a long way, considering that, initially, his parents were against him playing basketball. The young Cameroonian was dripping in potential and clearly understood defensive play very well, but his parents were adamant his education should come first. The plan was for him to finish his studies and then head to France to play volleyball. Finally, however, his parents wilted and allowed Embiid to follow his dream of playing basketball.
Filling the room for improvement
Embiid’s pleasing shooting stats are no coincidence. Embiid’s inconsistent post-season shooting after the 2021-22 season became a sticking point, one he decided to put right. He worked on different ways to shoot off the bounce, including step-backs, fadeaways and hesitation pull-ups, so that he could take shots over multiple defenders. Before then, his bosses had doubts he could help them transform the 76ers into a championship winning team. The team’s NBA odds are +3600, but there’s still some regular season and the playoffs to go.
Conditioning work over the past few off seasons may also have had an impact on his shooting and helped him to turn the team’s fortunes around. Injury has hampered the player and persuaded him to take better care of himself. Working with his personal trainer and a player development coach, Embiid has been practising individual moves in sets. He’s also hired a chef, a nutritionist and a massage therapist in his drive for better conditioning.
Although Embiid is noted for his shooting, he’s been working on his passing over the summer too, an aspect of his game which has stood out this season. Evidently, the work has paid off.
Driving the 76ers forward
Embiid’s graft to improve his game doesn’t mean he’s just got better as a player, but also as a leader. The NBA lines reflect his current form before games and by raising his game, he’s taken the pressure off some of the other players. However, he’s told them when he needs them to step up. Demanding more from his players is driving the team forward.
Embiid has also learned to trust the players around him more. There was a time when he’d try to do everything himself in critical situations. Now he’s accepted he can’t, especially as there’s more focus from other teams on him at the offensive end, and he’s placing more trust in his teammates. He’s realized he can’t win without their help and is learning to let go of control.
Joel Embiid is one of the best players on an NBA court this season and is gunning for the MVP title two years in a row. Injury could be a stumbling block to this, but given all his hard work and his improvement, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t receive the award for the second year running and maybe even boost the team’s NBA odds for the next one.
