The Next Generation: Joel Embiid

Every season the draft brings a fresh infusion of talent to the NBA. In theory this is an even, steady process. In practice, hindsight and historical perspective show that there are borders and boundaries — talent doesn’t just arrive in the NBA, it arrives in generational waves. Sometimes we can’t see these aesthetic dividing lines for decades, sometimes you simply can’t miss them.

The present day NBA appears to be on the cusp of welcoming a remarkable new generation to its forefront — players who are not just incredible but incredibly unique. Players who will not just excel but transform the roles and responsibilities of basketball players as we understand them. Over the course of this week, The Step Back will be examining many of the players who could figure prominently in The Next Generation. Not every player we turn our attention to is destined to be a star, but all could play a role in defining the future of the NBA. Read the whole series here.

The Next Generation: Joel Embiid

Health permitting, 76ers big man Joel Embiid could be the breakout star of the NBA’s next generation. Between his transcendent skill set and his quick wit, he’s quickly emerging as someone whose on-court talent and off-court antics make him a 24/7 must-follow.

At the moment, few players can match Embiid’s sky-high two-way upside. He’s the lone player in NBA history to average at least 20 points, seven rebounds, two blocks and one made triple during his rookie campaign, which has him in the forefront for the Rookie of the Year award despite his season ending after just 31 games. With him on the court, Philadelphia had the net rating of a playoff team (plus-3.2, per NBA.com), while the squad’s net rating sans Embiid (minus-9.3) is worse than the Brooklyn Nets’ league-low mark.

Embiid is the natural evolution of Hakeem Olajuwon — a towering, terrifying defensive presence who can also step back from behind the 3-point arc and drill a 23-footer. His ability to block a shot, run a fast break and convert an easy deuce all on the same possession is the definition of an NBA cheat code.

This was the promise that tantalized Philadelphia fans since the 2014 draft, when former general manager Sam Hinkie selected Embiid third overall despite him having recently been diagnosed with a dreaded navicular fracture in his right foot. That injury sidelined him throughout the 2014-15 campaign, but as he ramped up his rehab, his Sixers teammates and coaches could hardly contain their excitement.

Read More: Next Generation — Jamal Murray has some Stephen Curry in his game

“When you see glimpses of his skill package, you can’t help but say, ‘Wow.’ Just like we saw when we saw him play at Kansas,” head coach Brett Brown told Max Rappaport of Sixers.com in June 2015. “[He’s] a two-way player, and you’re just seeing hints of some of the great players and all wrapped up into somebody that hasn’t played basketball in a really long time.”

That enthusiasm quickly turned into disappointment, as the team announced in mid-July that Embiid would likely miss the entire 2015-16 season after undergoing a second surgery on his troublesome right foot. Citing a source, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reported the franchise was “concerned that this setback is career-threatening,” which raised doubts about whether Embiid would ever suit up for Philadelphia.

Thankfully, those fears haven’t yet panned out. Embiid overcame the two foot surgeries and made his long-awaited debut in 2016-17, where he surprised even himself and his teammates with how well he played.

“During the two years I missed, I don’t think anybody expected [that I could play this well],” Embiid told SLAM’s Adam Figman in early February. “I don’t think I’m anywhere close to where I want to be or that I’m good enough yet.”

“The way he can shoot, his ballhandling—I was not expecting that,” Sixers swingman Robert Covington told Figman. “But he worked on it. All the stuff I’ve seen him do in a game is the stuff I’ve seen him work on when he was out.”

It didn’t take long for fellow NBA players to recognize the potential Embiid touts.

New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins—who rarely doles out praise to his contemporaries—expressed his admiration for Embiid in late December.

In early January, Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley echoed Cousins’ adulation.

“[Embiid is] special,” Bradley told reporters. “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.”

Houston Rockets superstar James Harden, one of the front-runners for this year’s MVP award, called Embiid “probably the most skilled big man we have in this league” after what would be his final game this season on Jan. 27.

A bone bruise and meniscus tear will sideline Embiid through the remainder of the season, but according to Pompey, Philadelphia is far less concerned with those injuries than it was with his foot fractures.

“The Sixers view Embiid as a one-of-a-kind player who will get over this injury,” Pompey reported. “They believe his current situation is a breeze compared with the career-threatening foot injuries he overcame.”

While Embiid dazzled during his 31-game stint on the court this season, he’s rapidly approaching greatest-of-all-time territory off the court just three years into his professional career. His long-stated thirst for pop singer Rihanna—which fueled his All-Star Game campaign this season—was only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Embiid’s exuberance shining through.

Take, for instance, the time Embiid channeled WWE Superstar Triple H during his pregame intro on Jan. 13.

Or the time Embiid busted a move with Philadelphia’s cheerleaders after second-year point guard T.J. McConnell hit a game-winning shot against the New York Knicks two days prior.

Considering all Embiid went through over the past few seasons—from rehabbing through two serious foot injuries to grieving over the unexpected death of his younger brother in Cameroon—the big man seems to be embracing the moment and enjoying every minute of it.

“The game’s supposed to be fun,” Embiid told reporters following a February shootaround, per Bleacher Report’s Ryan Jones. “I just want to have fun and get the crowd into it.”

The NBA is a business, but basketball is still a game. It’s supposed to be fun. It’s what kids do to blow off steam (or avoid homework). It’s what adults do to convince themselves their athletic prime hasn’t yet passed them by (even though it did 10 years ago).

Embiid’s joie de vivre is the human embodiment of that sentiment. He’s a constant reminder that amidst contentious debates over legacy, award races and front office faux pas, everyone associated with the NBA—from players, coaches and owners to fans—indulge in basketball precisely because it’s supposed to be fun.

“With the fans, I’m always having fun with them on social media, and I embrace it all until everything is gone,” Embiid told Figman. “At one point people are going to really start picking on you and start judging you by what you do on social media, so until it’s taken away from me, I’m gonna embrace it and keep having fun.”

That spirit hasn’t gone unnoticed among NBA observers. In the Feb. 21 episode of ESPN’s Lowe Post podcast, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein said, “Joel Embiid is fantastic, man. His positivity… the spirit and fun he has after what he’s been through in the first two years of his career… he is something else.”

Embiid’s own teammates are relishing in his unique personality, too.

“I think everyone around here loves him,” teammate Nik Stauskas said earlier this season, per Jones. “He’s a funny, down-to-earth guy, almost like a little kid. We all love his personality—we feed off it.”

These days, it’s easy to get swallowed up by negativity. Embiid is the lighthearted beacon of hope who can bring a smile to your face with nothing more than an Instagram location. Combined with his prodigious basketball gifts, he’s poised to make a massive imprint on the league so long as his body holds up.

The self-proclaimed Process was worth the wait.