Billy Donovan: Embiid's 'got a lot of Olajuwon in him'

Philadelphia 76ers fans weren't the only ones who came away impressed and optimistic after Joel Embiid's long-awaited, much-anticipated NBA regular-season debut Wednesday.

While the Sixers faithful serenaded him with "M-V-P" chants, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Billy Donovan was watching him from the sideline and being reminded of the guy who won the award 23 years ago.

"He's hard to guard," Donovan told reporters after the game, according to Philly.com's Keith Pompey. "He's herky-jerky. He's got a lot of (Hakeem) Olajuwon in him."

The comparison isn't novel, and of course, Embiid has a long, long, long way to go to approach the feats of Olajuwon, whose Hall of Fame career featured, among other things, 12 All-NBA teams, nine All-Defensive teams, two championships, two Finals MVPs, and the aforementioned regular-season MVP.

But the 22-year-old got off to a fine start with a 20-point, seven-rebound, two-block performance under a strict minutes cap in his debut. He flashed agility, shooting touch, and nifty moves on the block. After missing his first two seasons due to a foot fracture that refused to heal, he arrived looking almost fully formed. If he can stay on the court, those facetious chants may one day be chanted in earnest.

"To see him arrive now and tonight is a special night," said Sixers coach Brett Brown. "I'm so proud of him."