The 76ers Want Fans To Keep Chanting ‘Trust The Process’ For Joel Embiid

While Joel Embiid is still playing with restrictions as he returns from foot injuries, the rising star is making the best of the Philadelphia 76ers’ struggles. When former GM Sam Hinkie was finally given the big boot – sorry, after he was asked to take a “reduced role” and instead resigned with a 13-page letter, fans ironically adopted his “Trust the process” mantra in celebrating the end of a woefully unsuccessful three-year era of Sixers basketball. And while Hinkie’s Process may still eventually lead to great success for Philly, even Embiid is in on the fun for now.

Hell, Embiid adopted “The Process” as his new nickname, which led to fans losing their minds when the Sixers introduced him as such earlier this month. That’s because fans basically willed this all to fruition by chanting, “Trust the process!” Most players would find that distracting, but not the NBA’s next super-duper-star (hopefully!).

Even Sixers coach Brett Brown is fine with fans chanting while Embiid is at the line, as he encourages them to finally be happy about this previously sad, pathetic, and doomed franchise.

“I do [like it],” Brown said before the Sixers’ 112-108 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday. “I do. You know, I think we need something like that in this city and I’m not frowning upon that. We want to have some fun.”

“I think it’s all good,” Brown said. “I’m personally at a stage that you get — and I say this in a positive way — you’re sort of numb to scrutiny. You’re numb to taking the massive amounts of hits that we’re all — and I say it personally, with the team — you feel hardened. You just got another layer of armor. And so the fans standing, the fans on us, the fans with us — I see our world clearly and we’re not blinking.

“We’re not going to veer to the right or the left. And when the crowd gets going with ‘the process’ and Joel anoints himself ‘Trust the process,’ there’s a side of it, I say, ‘Good for the crowd, good for Joel,’ and none of us are going to take ourselves too serious.” (Via ESPN)

Good, because the Sixers still stink. At 4-13, they’re only better than the 3-win Mavericks right now, but at least they have Embiid, who is showing us flashes of brilliance when he’s allowed to play. Remember when he blocked LeBron James three times? Richard Jefferson certainly doesn’t like being on the receiving end of the Process.

Despite the highlights, Embiid says he’s still trying to find his bounce, which is scary news for the rest of the NBA.

“I felt like was I bouncy in college, so getting back to that level,” Embiid said. “I feel like I can push myself to be more athletic. I haven’t really been able to really when I attack the basket go up and try to dunk on someone because I don’t have that yet. So it’s just about me getting in the weight room every day, just lifting, working out, making sure I stay strong.” (Via CSN Philly)

In the meantime, Embiid is studying the NBA’s all-time great big men to learn from them and make himself better. God help us all, but especially Chandler Parsons, when he picks up on Kevin Garnett’s trash talk.