76ers' Embiid declares he'll play 20 years following setbacks
Joel Embiid sees The Process panning out for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After missing two years with a right foot injury that required a pair of surgeries, the No. 3 pick of the 2014 draft is finally set to begin his career this season. He projects being in for the long haul.
"I'm going to have a 20-year career," Embiid said Monday at his media day press conference.
Only five players in NBA history have suited up for at least 20 seasons: Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the recently retired Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant.
The 22-year-old Embiid also declared that in the pros, he'll be a "totally different player" than he was at Kansas, where he averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks in 23 minutes.
"I'm a post player, I want to be a post player I want to dominate in the post. If I'm open for a three I might do that." pic.twitter.com/kvk9hTz2Fw
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) September 26, 2016
Of course, the 7-foot center plans to dominate the post. He wants to be more versatile than that, though, also running the point and shooting threes (he went 1-for-5 from deep in his lone college campaign).
Embiid also paid homage to former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie, giving him a shout-out and saying "trust the process" not once, but twice during his presser.
It should be an interesting year in Philly.