NBA Award Watch: Mike D’Antoni has Rockets on the rise
By John Buhler
Rookie of the Year: Joel Embiid
Whether he’s lying on the floor against the Atlantic Division rival Toronto Raptors or showing the internet the right way to make Shirley Temples, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid makes the NBA all the more interesting.
He plays intermittently for the 76ers, but Embiid is the best of the 2016-17 NBA rookies when he is on the Philadelphia hardwood. Embiid is averaging 17.6 points, 7. 5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game in his rookie season in Philadelphia.
While he has only appeared in 16 of the 76ers’ first 25 games, Embiid is an incredibly efficient player. He has a PER of 22.6 and responsible for 0.6 Win Shares. Embiid is a solid shooter from all areas of the court. He is 45.9 from the field, 42.2 from beyond the arc, and 76.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Embiid has created a 2016 Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson type of lead on the this awards race. Nobody is going to catch him. Do keep an eye on the Denver Nuggets sharpshooter Jamal Murray. He’s probably the second-best rookie in the early part of the 2016-17 campaign.