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Joel Embiid says Kobe Bryant is the reason he wanted to play basketball

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is one of the most dominant big men in the league. The 24-year-old is a legit 7-footer that plays basketball like a guard, and that might be because he grew up idolizing Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant.

In a post on The Players’ Tribune, Embiid covered an array of topics, including his love for Bryant and his most memorable encounter with the future Hall of Famer, in which Kobe gave him a little advice:

“The most surreal moment was when Kobe was retiring, and he played his last game in Philly.