Joel Embiid ranked second best center in the NBA
Another day, another media outlet releasing NBA rankings ahead of the 2022-23 season. In the latest news, we’re talking about the best centers in the league and of course, Joel Embiid.
Joel Embiid Ranked 2nd Best Center in the NBA
HoopsHype compiled a list of the Top 25 Centers in the NBA and Embiid ranked second behind Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic.
In 2021-22, Embiid arguably posted his most masterful campaign, averaging a league-leading 30.6 points per game to go with 11.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.5 blocks while hitting a respectable 37.1 percent of his triples. BPM (9.2) ranked Embiid as the NBA’s third-most impactful player, as did VORP (6.5), as did PER (31.2) and Win Shares (12.0).
He can score on face-ups, he’s a monster in the post (Embiid produced 1.05 PPP on post-ups, the second-best mark in the league among players with 150 such chances), he’s a huge threat out of the pick-and-roll, he can create for teammates – he legitimately does it all.
The never-ending battle between the “eye test” and “statsexuals” continues. Advanced metrics will give you any reason you want to rank Jokic over Embiid. We have seen it time and time again both on social media and the national stage.
Fine. Whatever. The entire argument on Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic is reaching the point of the LeBron James, Michael Jordan GOAT debate in terms of the most exhausting, pointless, and annoying arguments in the sports world.
Of course, Embiid hasn’t done much to help his case, but the majority of that is out of his control given his injury history heading into the playoffs and the 76ers as a team, failures to advance past the second round.
Regardless, Joel Embiid was granted a full offseason with James Harden and will be aided by Tobias Harris, Tyrese Maxey, and a new-look 76ers depth chart which includes De’Anthony Melton, PJ Tucker, and Danuel House Jr.
If the 76ers, specifically Joel Embiid, can stay healthy at the end of the 2022-23 season, there’s no reason why they won’t be in title contention heading into the playoffs.
Read More: ESPN Lists 76ers as one of four teams to be in title contention this season >>
