There were two major themes surrounding the Philadelphia 76ers’ offseason: Markelle Fultz’s jumper and the development of Ben Simmons. Through 11 games, Fultz’s outside shooting has ebbed and flowed, while Simmons’ shot profile and scoring efficiency is largely constrained to the paint.
However, those talking points overshadowed the fact Joel Embiid was entering the first healthy summer of his career. Given his near-linear growth curve, he looked primed to return to the court and flash a level of dominance few, if any, contemporary big men could parallel.
Just as many Sixers pundits and fans preached between May and October, Embiid is stretching his legs forward and making the leap expected of him on both ends.