Social media darling Joel Embiid had a breakout season last year, but what does he need to work on in order to be a bonafide top-5 player?
Whether it is welcoming Mohamed Bamba to the league, or posterizing Philly residents on random pickup courts, Joel Embiid has certainly had an eventful offseason.
The superstar center for the Philadelphia 76ers had his summer start earlier than desired, as his team was bounced out of last year’s playoffs by the Boston Celtics.
Regardless, Embiid should be happy with his overall 2017-18 performance. Across the board, his statistics show a marked improvement. The jump from his rookie to sophomore season is not difficult to discern:
| Season | Tm | G | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | eFG% | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | PHI | 31 | 6.5 | 13.8 | .466 | 1.2 | 3.2 | .367 | 5.3 | 10.7 | .495 | .508 | 7.9 | .783 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.5 | 20.2 |
| 2017-18 | PHI | 63 | 8.1 | 16.8 | .483 | 1.0 | 3.4 | .308 | 7.0 | 13.4 | .527 | .514 | 7.4 | .769 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 0.6 | 1.8 | 22.9 |
| Career | 94 | 7.6 | 15.8 | .478 | 1.1 | 3.3 | .327 | 6.5 | 12.5 | .518 | .512 | 7.6 | .774 | 9.9 | 2.8 | 0.7 | 2.0 | 22.0 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/10/2018.
The eye test affirms this notion as well, as Embiid looked more confident when both facing the basket and having his back to it. He developed his free throw line-extended jumper into a lethal move. When defenders sag off, he simply shoots the ball over them. When they get in his face, he pump fakes then drives to the rim. His offensive repertoire is coming along quicker than most experts expected, and his star has risen because of it.
Defensively, Embiid proved worthy of the hype. He earned his All-Defensive Second Team slot by being able to guard any position on the court. Sure, the behemoth center posted excellent block numbers and defensive win share stats, but watching Embiid in person is the only way to appreciate how he can shut down even the quickest of players.
Despite being only two seasons into his career, Embiid’s accolades are already starting to grow. His ceiling is still not even close to being reached. So with all this in mind, what three weaknesses should Embiid aim to improve this summer?