Sixers big man Joel Embiid, in an interview Friday on ESPN’s The Jump at Philadelphia 76ers media day, said the 2018 No. 1 draft pick will have his work cut out for him in his first professional season.
So Joel Embiid joined me and Stephen Jackson on #TheJump today – when we asked him about Deandre Ayton, he said "he's about to get his ass kicked this year." ?
We also chatted about his MVP aspirations, and how many games the Sixers will win this season (65?????) pic.twitter.com/naoV21CwZu— Rachel Nichols (@Rachel__Nichols) September 21, 2018
Embiid takes issue with any comparisons, saying it’s too soon.
“He’s going to be good,” Embiid told ESPN’s Rachel Nichols and Stephen Jackson. “But when you talk about ‘He looks like Joel Embiid,’ I play on both sides of the court. I think I’m a good offensive player, good defensive player. I do it on both ends of the floor. I watched him play and he’s got a lot of work to do. But he’s got a lot of potential. He’s going to be really good.”
Embiid said he also holds high hopes for the 76ers and wants to cement himself as the team’s true leader.
“Last year we won 52 games,” Embiid said. “This year I expect to go 55, 60, 65. So that’s the goal. And from there, you know, I’m going to have to be a big part of that. I’m going to have to show up every night and average, I don’t know, 27 points. And I’m excited.”
Earlier in the day, Embiid was asked about the recent hire of former Sixers forward Elton Brand as the team’s new general manager. He had this to say:
It's only media day, but Joel Embiid's quotes are in midseason form. pic.twitter.com/4i9lBREMvo
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) September 21, 2018
The NBA Season is already off and jumping, just imagine when the games actually start. Trusting the process is always pure entertainment.
