Joel Embiid is in the quest for back-to-back MVP awards and is en route to his third straight-scoring title. In the win against the Spurs, he created history by dropping 70 points helping him to overtake Wilt Chamberlain’s points-per-minute record for a season. And, when his former coach Bill Self learned about the historic performance, he hilariously took credit for it.
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Self has been at the helm of the Kansas Jayhawks basketball program since 2003. Embiid played in the NCAA for a season with the Kansas Jayhawks, therefore, ESPN’s Scott Van Pell informed the program’s head coach about this historic outing. While Embiid was creating history, Self’s Jayhawks were coming off a close 74-69 points.
When SVP asked the head coach about his former player’s massive achievement, he revealed that he was keeping a tab on the affair when Embiid had 26 points at halftime. However, as Van Pell informed him that his former Center registered humongous 70 points, Jayhawks helmsman made a hilarious statement,
“Hey guys, he[Embiid} learned everything in the eight months he was here in Kansas, everything,” quipped the Jayhawks Head Coach
This response drew immense laughter from the panel. Coach Self knew when he first saw Embiid during his high school days, that the Center was going to be a number one draft pick. During his lone 2013-14 Jayhawks season, the Cameroonian-American tallied 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game. He earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors as well.
While there is no doubt, he had a solid year, his scoring was polished when he got into the NBA. He was the #1 draft pick in 2014 but the current achievements would have even surprised his biggest supporters. At any rate, the 76ers Center’s career is eerily similar to another prolific 76ers legend.
Joel Embiid joins Wilt Chamberlain on yet another list
After figuring over Chamberlain in the highest points-per-minute list for a season, Joel Embiid joined him in yet another record. He became the second Kansas Jayhawks alum to drop 70 points or more in an NBA game. Both the records that he has broken come from the player that featured in both his current NBA team and his former NCAA team.
Wilt “The Stilt” Chamberlain has had the biggest scoring seasons in NBA history to this day. This includes his 1961-62 season when he dropped 50.4 points and 25.7 rebounds per game. Nothing close to this has ever been done in the NBA history.
Wilt had seven games with at least 70 points including his breathtaking 100-point outing against Knicks in an untelivised 1962 game. Fittingly, the athlete, who considers Chamberlain his GOAT, is toe-to-toe with him. These two players embody the sensational heights the Center position can reach at both college and pro levels.
Even though Embiid was drafted way before the time when the NBA saw multi-talented Centers like Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, the reigning league MVP has maneuvered his game similarly. Already at the helm of the MVP list this season as well, Embiid has proved that he is one of the most elite shooters, ball handlers, and rebounders in the league. He is carrying the 76ers’ storied legacy with Wilt in the most prolific fashion.
