It's been a long trek to the summit for the Philadelphia 76ers. Joel Embiid is the final remnant from the earliest stages of #TheProcess that started nearly a decade ago by direction of former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie.
As such, only Embiid can truly appreciate the whole struggle in its entirety as the Sixers went from annual cellar-dweller to perennial contender. The process is reaching its final stages. And as the team secured the top seed in the Eastern Conference with a win over the Orlando Magic on Friday night, the moment was clearly not lost on Joel Embiid.
The Sixers star uttered the three words that have long been associated with their rebuild. Then he made sure to add a little extra towards the end, giving a proper shout-out to the man that started it all.
But of course, this isn't the culmination of The Process just yet. Regular season success is nothing new for this side, but the real challenge lies beyond. The 76ers have positioned themselves to have home-court advantage against the rest of the conference, but they're far from a shoo-in for an NBA Finals appearance.
The process has run its course. Now it's time to see if the Sixers' can make good on Sam Hinkie's promises.