Joel Embiid has been on the court for only two preseason games, but that hasn’t stopped his own head coach from lobbing astronomical comparisons in his direction. Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown started with a bit of a revelation on Friday, saying Embiid “is going to be the focal point both offensively and defensively.” However, the former San Antonio Spurs assistant wasn’t at all finished, dropping this bombshell to CSN Philly’s Jessica Camerato:
“You see [Embiid] and he just has ‘it. Years ago, you saw it with [Tim] Duncan. I see it with him in regards to a real target offensively and a real sort of centerpiece defensively.”
It’s hard to imagine a more aggressive comparison for a player that has never set foot on the court for a regular season game, but Embiid’s combination of size (7-foot-2) and skill set has long created infatuation from NBA scouts and pundits. In two preseason games, the now 22-year-old big man has appeared on the floor for only 25 combined minutes, but has been highly impressive at times and it appears that he is making a significant impact on the man who will be in charge of determining his playing time as a rookie.
Comparing anyone to a top-10 player of all-time in Tim Duncan is probably too bold, but if anyone would have the knowledge and background to do so, Brett Brown would certainly fit the profile.
