Lou Williams recently talked about Joel Embiid and how the big man is a no doubt Hall of Famer. How does he stack compared to some of the best centers in the history of the sport?
"When he's available, he whoops [expletive]."
That was the blunt assessment from Lou Williams, who recently called Embiid a future Hall of Famer while also acknowledging the biggest concern that has followed him throughout his career: availability.
At his best, Embiid is one of the most dominant centers the game has ever seen. The offensive polish he has as a seven-footer is something we have never seen at the position. Elite footwork, the ability to create on the perimeter, and a reliable shot from range. Originally drafted for his defensive potential, Embiid has instead become a modern pioneer who has pushed the limits of what fans and coaches can expect their centers to do on the offensive side of the ball.
There's no real doubt that Embiid will be in the Hall of Fame when his career is over. An MVP, multiple scoring titles, and one of the greatest offensive peaks the sport has ever seen. When you watched Embiid at his best, you watched a big man that teams had to base their entire defensive scheme on stopping.
But as Williams pointed out, availability remains the defining factor.
When comparing Embiid to all-time greats like Shaquille O'Neal, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell, the conversation goes beyond talent because all of them had that at a level that has rarely been seen. Factors such as sustained excellence and postseason play start to be taken into the equation. These are all players who won championships, had deep playoff runs, and defined their eras.
Embiid, as an individual, is brilliant, but he has not reached the same level of team success. That doesn't diminish his greatness, but it does alter the discussions had about him in a historical context.
Few centers in history have possessed Embiid's blend of size, skill, and scoring ability. At his best he looks completely unguardable.
Still, legacies are built on more than peak performance.
If Embiid can stay healthy and lead the 76ers to a deep playoff run, it would silence many of his critics who point out that he has never made it past the second round of the NBA playoffs.
Until then, he remains one of the most talented centers the game has ever seen. From here on out, the conversations about Embiid won't change because of his ability, because nobody questions that anymore; they will change because of his availability and how he can lead a team.
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Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.