Dirk Nowitzki has been retired for two years now, but the Dallas Mavericks icon's effect on the game is still felt around the league. Just watch MVP candidate Joel Embiid sink his one-legged fadeaway for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Embiid's fadeaway game was on full display in Game 1 against the Washington Wizards. His arsenal displayed shades of Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant, and Hakeem Olajuwon, which isn't a bad combination of legends to build your moves around.
Joel Embiid finished his first playoff game w 30 PTS and 12 FTM in 30 or less minutes.
He also did that in the ‘18 playoffs.
Those are two of only three times that’s happened in the past 25 seasons of playoff basketball.
Every bit of 7’0” w some Kobe, Dirk, KD, Hakeem in em. pic.twitter.com/vH0DK8Gy3E
— Brock Knows Ball (@LandesBrock) May 24, 2021
Embiid has been using Dirk's move since his early years, and has slowly perfected his own version as he's become an All-NBA talent for the Sixers.
Joel Embiid did his best Dirk Nowitzki impersonation. 👀👌#HereTheyCome #Sixers pic.twitter.com/n77KbyFg3p
— Sixers Nation (@SixersNationCP) November 7, 2019
Joel Embiid out here looking like Dirk Nowitzki. 🔥
— NBA SKITS (@NBA_Skits) October 12, 2017
Dirk Nowitzki was asked about Embiid taking some of his game, as he was interviewed on the Take Off podcast with John Clark.
“That's an honor. That's so sweet to see that he thinks that's a good move and a shot he can put in his repertoire, so that's fun to see. When they actually played here in Dallas, I watched some of the game and he texted me the day after and said, ‘I had to show respect to you and shoot in on your silhouette' ..I'm honored that he thinks that's a good shot to have.”
If Nowitzki had to grade Embiid's version of the fader, the Sixers star got some high praise from the pioneer of the shot.
“It looks pretty good, I gotta say. He's so big but he's so agile and so athletic and he's still got the touch.. It almost looked better than the real thing, I gotta say.”
The Sixers brass and their fans surely hope Embiid keeps that fadeaway falling as they aim for a deep playoff run on the shoulders of their star.