Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots during the third quarter against the New Orleans Pelicans at Wells Fargo Center on January 02, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The development of Joel Embiid has been an amazing storyline and one vital to the success of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cameroon native did not pick up a basketball until the age of 15, but this did not stop his rapid rise to the MVP candidate he is today. At the top of the list of impressive developments in Embiid’s ability is his shooting touch. After coming into the NBA as a post-dominant player, he has grown into a mid-range maestro and the engine of the Sixers’ offense. Following the recent victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Embiid was asked about how he developed his admirable shooting touch to which he had a shocking response.
“Looking at my white people on YouTube,” Embiid admitted. “That’s how I learned to shoot, is by watching white people on YouTube.”
Joel Embiid learning from watching ‘White People Shoot on YouTube’ has been a legendary quote for a while now but he truly is one of a kind 😂
Troel Embiid Back at it?
While Embiid has made a name for himself off the court for his funny remarks, this does not seem to be a matter in which he is kidding. Embiid has admitted to this in the past and went into more detail in 2016. As he put it at the time:
‘You know how I learned to shoot?’ Embiid says. ‘I watched white people. Just regular white people. They really put their elbow in and finish up top. You can find videos of them online,'” per Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated.
Embiid went into further detail following the most recent win in which he explained he has not played like a traditional big man throughout his career. He pointed to the fadeaway made popular by Dirk Nowitzki as the first move he learned and mentioned he always wanted to be perceived as different from a traditional center.
Joel Embiid hears from the fans as he exits the court. This kid was yelling at almost every Sixer on their way to the dressing room. @JoelEmbiid took the time to stop and sign their stuff. @Liberty_Ballers
Embiid’s MVP Level of Play
Whatever his secret is, it is clearly working. Embiid has continually added layers to his game throughout the nine years he has been a professional. After sitting the first two seasons while recovering from his foot injury, Embiid blossomed into a superstar beyond what the Sixers could have even imagined.
Flash forward to this season, and he is averaging 33.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 blocks. After leading the NBA in scoring last season with 30.6 points per game, he raised the bar once again and is connecting at a career-high rate in his two-point percentage and effective field goal percentage.
Embiid has especially seen growth in his chemistry alongside James Harden. After both players battled injuries to start the season, the duo has begun to get on the same page and is the driving force behind why the Sixers have won 16 of their last 20 matchups.
Joel Embiid stats with James Harden on the court ->Embiid stats w/o Harden
50.7 pts per 100 poss ->44.2 pts per 100
60% eFG% ->51% eFG%
66.8% TS% ->60.2% TS%
59.2% 2P% ->53.6% 2P%
43.1% 3P% ->25.5% 3P%
35.6% rim frequency->28.3% rim frequency
Elite duo
Despite this, there has been a lack of buzz surrounding Embiid on the national scale. His slow start has clouded the opinions of some, and while there has been some positive recognition in recent weeks, Embiid still sits fourth in MVP odds behind Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum. The brutal truth may be Embiid’s best opportunity to win this individual award may be in his rearview mirror, despite the heroic stat lines he regularly produces.
This has not bothered the superstar as he has deflected all individual equations to the pursuit of a championship dating back to the offseason. Embiid, Harden, and the rest of the Sixers will seek to fight off their playoff demons together at the season’s conclusion. They have climbed to third in the Eastern Conference and are just half of a game back behind the Milwaukee Bucks for the second seed.
Embiid will be a vital part of the team’s success moving forward and the Sixers will follow him as far as he can take them. Hopefully, he has the YouTube videos lined up to have himself and the team ready.