Getty Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid
When Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid added a new member to his family in the form of a puppy, it took the internet by storm. Not only is it extremely cute, but the decision Embiid made on what to name him was perfect. The Sixers center introduced his new friend to the world and revealed a name that fans of the team quickly fell in love with.
Klaus Hinkie De Paula Embiid.
Embiid made sure to get a bit of everything in the name there, including his girlfriend Anne De Paula’s last name, his own last name and of course, Hinkie. That would be a tip of the cap to former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie, the person who spearheaded “The Process” and the rebuild within the organization.
Joel Embiid Attempts to Train His Puppy
In Embiid’s downtime away from the court, he’s doing his best to train Klaus Hinkie, but that doesn’t appear to be going all that well. A video was posted on the Klaus De Process Instagram account of the Sixers star attempting to teach the puppy to lick.
And as Andrew Greth of NBC Sports Philadelphia showed, things went a bit off the rails to the point where Embiid was trying to show the pup how to lick by doing it to his own hand.
He gets a passing grade for effort, but things didn’t pan out for the NBA star. This is largely due to the fact that Hinkie doesn’t appear to have much interest in licking at this point. For what it’s worth, Embiid should be happy he wasn’t having to train the dog to not eat furniture or go to the bathroom inside the house (both things may still be happening).
Joel Embiid’s Superb 2018-19 NBA Season
Although Embiid may be struggling off the court while training Hinkie, he’s having an MVP-caliber season on it. The 25-year-old has posted averages of 27.3 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 blocks over the team’s first 55 games. He’s also shooting 48.1 percent from the field and averaging 33.7 minutes per game.
Arguably the most impressive part is the Sixers’ success as a whole. They currently hold a 46-25 record which is good for the No. 3 spot in the Eastern Conference. If the playoffs began today, Philly would face the Detroit Pistons in the opening round. Their current edge over the fourth-seeded Indiana Pacers is 2.5 games, while they’re three games ahead of the Boston Celtics, who are in fourth.
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