Earlier this season, general managers around the NBA were asked who they would start a team around.
Their answer was Timberwolves forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns, last year’s Rookie of the Year.
While Towns is probably still at the top of the list, Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid is turning heads despite a minutes restriction.
Embiid, technically a rookie who was drafted in 2014 (two spots behind Andrew Wiggins), is averaging 18.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game in 24.8 minutes per game. The former Kansas star missed the first two seasons of his career with a foot injury, but his debut season couldn’t have been expected to go this well.