Joel Embiid dropped 70 with his 'Process' era coach on the other sideline

Gregg Popovich said that the San Antonio Spurs would, "hammer his ass." Then, Joel Embiid dropped 70 points on them, leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 133-123 win. The Victor Wembanyama vs Embiid matchup lived up to the hype (Wemby added 33 of his own points to the contest), but Embiid was no match for the thin-framed Wembanyama or the entirely smaller, but solid, Jeremy Sochan, or any other defender the Spurs tried to throw at him.

Embiid's 70 points became a Sixers record for most in a single game.

As luck would have it, his first NBA coach, Brett Brown, was on the other sideline working for Popovich's staff as an assistant. After the game, former Brett Brown Sixers players Embiid, Robert Covington, and Furkan Korkmaz caught up with Brown after the game and discussed the record-setting performance while undoubtedly reminiscing on old times.

It was super wholesome.

Joel Embiid dropping 70 in front of Brett Brown was peak Process resolution

It would seem odd for an opposing coach to celebrate this with an opposing player, but you have to understand the context.

First, here's the moment after the game:

Embiid was a young boy from Cameroon when he came to the NBA. He helped him navigate life in a new country, supported him through early injury problems, and even slept on Embiid's couch the night Embiid's brother Arthur was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident as a pedestrian.

Brown was so much more than a coach to Embiid.

He was the head coach of "The Process" era of Sixers basketball, where general manager Sam Hinkie designed intentionally uncompetitive teams built around raw talented players in hopes of finding a gem or two to build around. He rapidly undid the team to try to find a better foundation. He found it in Embiid.

Joel scoring 70 completely validates Hinkie's approach to building a team. Brown being there in person to witness? Just icing on the narrative.

Who knows where this squad would be if Hinkie wasn't forced out by Josh Harris hiring Bryan Colangelo years back.