But with Joel Embiid having a mockumentary made about him, the former Jayhawk’s larger-than-life social media presence having always been a sensation among the National Basketball Association fan base, and his injury history causing the topic of his availability to dominate the conversation among the local media, you could fairly argue that Ben Simmons isn’t even the highest-profile rookie on his own team.
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“But the team that won just 10 games last season and a combined 47 in Brown”s first three campaigns is still heavily focused on player development.
Brown claimed Embiid “needs to be the crown jewel, the centerpiece, to our defense” as the center, and doesn’t want to use Embiid against power forwards at that end.
Embiid broke his right foot during a pre-draft workout in 2014 and sat out last season when he needed a second surgery because the foot had not healed.
“I think we are all going to look back [on this season] and see did certain people improve,” Brown said.
“Joel is on track to play”, Brown said Thursday.
The Sixers are scheduled to open training camp on September 27. “We’re going to be on a little bit of a more exciting journey”.
While Embiid possesses an array of low-post moves, Brown noted Embiid is capable of trailing the play to “easily and accurately rise up and hit a 3”. He grew up playing soccer and volleyball, and only chose to pursue basketball at the end of high school.
Embiid hurt his back while landing awkwardly during a game late in the season, and missed the Jayhawks’ final two regular-season games and the Big 12 tournament.
Everyone is still waiting for his return. “We have to clean up his world, put him in a place where he can really do well and not have to think too much and grow him as we learn more about how he reacts to different situations”.
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“I feel like there will be times you’ll see Simmons with the ball as the traditional point guard”.
