Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is planning to bring bully-ball back into the league, a now-foreign concept of a modern NBA that has gotten more spread out over the years and now puts shooting big men at a premium. The Sixers big man isn't just looking to put the ball on the block, but to dominate.
Embiid's trainer, Drew Hanlen, thinks he can be the most dominant to do it since the Big Diesel himself, Shaquille O'Neal.
Hanlen spoke with Evan Daniels on his podcast (via Rich Hofmann of The Athletic) and gave some insight into Embiid's prowess in the post.
“We haven’t seen a dominant low-post player since like Shaq but we think he can be that guy,” said Hanlen “So really using his bully ball mentality to his advantage. He scored 46, had like 15 or 17 rebounds, 7 assists, and 7 blocks, some crazy stat line against the Lakers when he went bully-ball mentality. And so we need to get to that more often.”
Embiid's 46-15-7-7 line was one that stapled his name on the map as one of the most dominant centers in the league, perhaps his biggest case for an All-Star spot at the 2018 showcase.
The Process has an endless arsenal of moves in the post, or as his coach Brett Brown calls it, The Malone Lane, where he is able to unleash wrath on his defenders — a mix of power and salivating skill.
Embiid's hulking 7-foot frame is enough to warrant attention on the block, and considering he had been a few cheeseburgers over the 250 pounds he was listed at last season, it's no wonder he's turning today's lanky centers into barbecue chicken.
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