I’m excited about seeing the number one pick in the NBA draft Ben Simmons taking the court with the Sixers tremendously talented big man Joel Embiid. You’ve got a 6’10” point forward, who has the handle to get to wherever he wants to on the floor and he can pass like a young Magic Johnson. He will be playing with a 7’2″ athletic big man, who has the ability to dominate a game on the offensive end with his his scoring and passing or on the defensive end with his shot blocking and rebounding.
Simmons and Embiid are the two players the Sixers have who possess the potential to be the top three or four players in the league. They still are works in progress because we know that Simmons needs to learn the NBA and improve his shooting. Defenders are going to back off him and give him the jump shot until he proves he can knock them down. Once he proves he can consistently drill those medium range jumpers, he will be able to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim with ease.
We’ll have to wait and see just how good Simmons can be. Magic Johnson transformed the game because of his combination of size, ball handling skills and leadership. Simmons has certain qualities you see in LeBron James, because he’s able to bully smaller players with his size but run the offense like a pure point guard. It’s rare to see a 6’10 player with a great feel for so many aspects of the game at such a young age. Being compared to Magic and LeBron says all you need to know about the potential of Simmons.
He’s got a lot of work to do. He’s got to crave being a great champion and Hall of Fame player. I’ve heard more from him in that regards and I’ve like what I have heard. But talk is going to get it done, he’s got to put in the work and push his teammates to do the same.
Embiid’s combination of size, quickness and shooting ability is so rare, you have to go back to the days of big men like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille Neal to come up with a comparison. Seven-footers with the athleticism and skill to take over a game at either end of the floor.
Simmons and Embiid could make Philadelphia the capital of the NBA for a decade. We could be hosting key playoff games and NBA Finals games year after year. The thought of having both of them on the same roster is exciting, but of course the question marks still surround Embiid’s career because of his foot problems and they both have to show us they are hungry enough to put in the work.
RIP Buddy Ryan! You brought so many fun years to Eagles fans
Brett Brown has his power forward in bound the basketball since he’s been here and Ben Simmons likes to trail the point guard and receive the basketball right around half court and attack the paint. It is a match made in heaven. Ben Simmons already likes to play side by side with a guard naturally.
Joel Embiid will be fine offensively. You don’t want to try to block an Embiid shot on a dunk attempt off a dribble . He will break your arm. Embiid will struggle defensively until he learns NBA team positional defense. But it will be knowledge and experience not talent that holds him back on defense unlike Okafor who doesn’t have the agility to anchor a defense.
Why no mention of Buddy Ryan?. This website is like the Obama administration. The first time they know of something is by watching television. Never timely with important news.
Sixers exercised their team option on Hollis Thompson today. Brett Brown plans to continue to launch 3 pointers with bad NBA players. Why? might be because he can’t adapt. Married to that Spurs play book.