Ranking the top 50 NBA players of next season: 20-11

PHILADELPHIA, PA - FEBRUARY 09: Ben Simmons #25 and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers react against the Chicago Bulls in the fourth quarter at the Wells Fargo Center on February 9, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 76ers defeated the Bulls 118-111. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

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14. Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid is a polarizing player, to say the least. There are those who will say he does not take things seriously enough, is too unhealthy and too out of shape. They will say no one can win with a big man being their best player in today’s league. Those in favor will correct them and say if this is what he is doing when he is not in the best shape how high is his ceiling?

Count this list in the positive about Embiid column. He is one of the best defenders in the game and is consistently adding something to his game. He improved from distance last season, shooting 33.1 percent. While this is not good enough to pull him out of the paint just yet it is a nice addition to the repertoire.

In fairness to the naysayers, last year was probably his worst season since his rookie year. It was the first time since then that he did not make an All-NBA or All-Defense team. He even went scoreless in a game for the first time in his career. This can be credited to dealing with nagging injuries to his hip, ankle, knee, hand, neck, shoulder and wrist.

That being said, even in a down year his stats are still impressive. Embiid averaged 23.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks per game and was still a defensive force. If he can have a little more health luck this year things are lining up for a bounce back. The roster is built to accentuate his talents more and he has a coach ready to get the best out of him in Doc Rivers. In a few short months, last season will just be a speed bump.