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Joel Embiid was trying to put into words what Sixers’ Culture is all about. And how James Harden – a basketball nomad in the truest sense – could storm into town and strike up instant chemistry with him. But the All-Star center intentionally veered off into a trip down memory lane.
The man who dubbed himself “The Process” intentionally needed to remind everyone on the trials and tribulations he’s been through since 2014. It’s been a wild ride, filled with burner accounts and tanking, for the skinny kid from Cameroon.
“I’ve been through a lot,” Embiid said. “Whether it’s you talk about friggin’ GMs using burner accounts, talking trash on their players. I always thought I would always have one coach for the rest of my career in Coach Brown, and obviously we changed, and I’ve seen so many players. I remember my first two or three years, we had probably over 80 players in one year, guys just coming in and guys getting cut. It’s hard. It’s hard to keep that culture.”
The culture these days is a fun one, predicated on “scary minutes” and joint press conferences. Everyone is smiling. Everyone is happy. Everyone is having fun. Credit the whole organization, not just Embiid.
“I wouldn’t say it’s all about me,” Embiid said. “Obviously I’ve been here the longest and I’ve been lucky enough to keep going through trade deadlines and not getting traded and all that stuff. It’s not about me. We got a bunch of great people who are working behind the scenes, whether it’s staff or guys in the arena or at the practice facility, so it’s not about me.”
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Tyrese Maxey, Hardest Worker in the Building
Tyrese Maxey was already developing into one of the best young guards in basketball. That growth has hit warp speed since Harden’s arrival. He’s able to play off the ball, at shooting guard – and use his unrivaled quickness to get to the rim and drop in sneaky floaters. Maxey has also added a version of Harden’s trademark step-back jumper to his game.
“My speed is the factor because everyone is trying to take me, take away from me going downhill and getting to the lane,” Maxey said. “So if I can go hard and then get back to the three fast, then I have an advantage because I have a lot of space.”
The 21-year-old scored 25 points on Wednesday night after a rough first half. He embraced the moment when Harden challenged him. It all stems from his insane work ethic, one of the first guys in and last guys out.
“He’s the hardest worker I’ve ever been with,” Embiid said. “He shows up, it doesn’t matter if it’s a back-to-back, he’s going to show up the next day. He’s going to come in at night and get some work in.”
Harden Continues to Stuff the Stat Sheet
Harden is averaging 27.3 points and 12.3 assists through his first three games on the Sixers. He’s the first player since Allen Iverson in 2006 – the Hall of Famer was in Denver, not Philly – to average at least 25 points and 10 dimes within their first three games with a franchise. So, yes, you could say that Harden has embraced a much-needed change of scenery.
“My role is the same. I’m very vocal, try to do my best by leading by example on the court,” Harden said. “My role doesn’t change anywhere I go. I’m still gonna be James Harden and that’s all I know how to be.”
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