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NBA: 10 best players of calendar year 2019

By Josh Cornelissen

Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo. Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Toronto Raptors Kawhi Leonard Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo. Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images /
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NBA Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid. Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images /

5. Joel Embiid, C, Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers have risen from process-oriented tanking laughingstocks (popularly, not among Process devotees) to fearsome defensive juggernaut. That rise has happened for a variety of reasons, but none more so than their swagger-filled, quote-happy center Joel Embiid.

Embiid is a train engine physically, tall and stout and strong. Among the stars on this list he leads the group in rebounds and blocks per game, on top of a solid 26.2 points per contest. His 3-point shooting is shaky and he turns it over too much for a center, but his two-way impact is undeniable.

In the playoffs he elevated his game even further, fighting through injuries and illness to be the most important player on the court in both series the 76ers played in, including the second round contest against the future Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.

If it was possible for Embiid to play all 48 minutes and not wear down, the 76ers likely would have won the series — it took a miraculous shot bouncing on the rim four times to send them home as it was.

Embiid’s injury history likes to rear its ugly head from time to time and in total he has appeared in just 51 games this year. Add to his availability the 76ers’ offensive struggles to start the 2019-20 season and he slips behind a fellow elite center. In the full hierarchy of the league Embiid is not the fifth-best player in the league, but he has had a top-five year in 2019.