Joel Embiid has often earned comparisons to the most dominant NBA centers of all time, including Shaquille O’Neal and the great Hakeem Olajuwon. These comparisons are not without their merits.
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Embiid became a top-3 pick in the NBA Draft less than 5 years after he first watched a basketball game. Growing up in Cameroon, he was slated to become a volleyball player before his interest in basketball took over.
NBA player Luc M’bah a’Moute held a Basketball Without Borders camp when Embiid was 16 years old and scouted his talent. Within a couple of months, Joel was on his way to the USA to play high school basketball. However, more trials would await the youngster.
Joel Embiid wrote about the influence of Hakeem Olajuwon on his game in an open letter
Joel Embiid had only been playing organized basketball for 3 years before he made it to Kansas University. At 19 years old, the youngster had some work to put in before he made the grade.
He revealed in a Players’ Tribune article that he got dunked on by Tarik Black at his first practice session. Getting posterized in front of the Kansas women’s team was definitely demoralizing. But Embiid was told by Kansas head coach Bill Self that he could be the no. 1 pick in 2 years.
This motivated him to put in more work and emulate his idol at the center position – Hakeem Olajuwon. This is what Embiid wrote about training after that:
“I had this DVD that my coach in Cameroon had mailed to me when I first came to America. It was an hour-long tape of Hakeem Olajuwon and some other legendary big men.”
“I probably watched that DVD every single day for three years. I would study the way Hakeem moved, and I would go out and try to imitate him. I did it in high school, and I did it at Kansas.”
Joel Embiid’s Players Tribune article, where he describes his early high school days, learning American culture, trying to get Bill Self to redshirt him and, of course, how he learned how to shoot. https://t.co/QfmexFOF2Y pic.twitter.com/SbeOTUQW4o
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) August 31, 2018
“I was basically just imagining that I was a good basketball player. The power of the mind is kind of amazing. I mean, I sucked. But somehow, I convinced myself that I was Hakeem. And I started getting better and better. And then I sort of started killing it.”
How close is Embiid to Hakeem today?
Embiid and Hakeem are both skilled centers with dominant post games. They are adept at scoring with a variety of moves, including footwork, fakes, and hooks.
They are also strong defenders and rebounders who can protect the paint and alter shots. Hakeem was known for his elite footwork and agility, while Embiid is a more physical and imposing presence.
