‘I saw Joel Embiid cry’: Former Lakers center Dwight Howard on why he joined the Sixers

Dwight Howard was in a buoyant mood in his first interview as a Philadelphia 76ers player. He commended Joel Embiid and vowed to help him win a title.

The Philadelphia 76ers have made the playoffs for 3 straight seasons when Joel Embiid has been healthy. But their two playoff series against the Celtics have ended in whimpers, losing 8 games to only having 1 win through 2018 and 2020. The Sixers were agonizingly close to making the Conference Finals in 2019, but a series-winning buzzerbeater from Kawhi Leonard put paid to their hopes.

Joel Embiid recruited Dwight Howard to Philly, per @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/yFb4gQpOEz

— NBA Central (@TheNBACentral) November 21, 2020

Also Read: ‘Ben Simmons is a young LeBron James’: Former Lakers center Dwight Howard heaps praise on Sixers teammate

The Sixers will be sporting a fresh look at the start of next season. They have retooled their roster, replacing non-shooters Al Horford and Josh Richardson with Seth Curry and Danny Green. This provides them great spacing in comparison to 2019-20, when they were one of the worst shooting teams in the NBA.

Dwight Howard wants to win an NBA title with Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers

The newly signed Philadelphia 76ers center has been upbeat and effusive in praise of his new teammates since arriving in Philly. He already views this as an opportunity to win his second NBA title in two seasons.

“I believe that this is our year. It’s been a long time since 1983 [when the Sixers last won an NBA title]. So I think it’s time that we hoist up another banner here in Philly. We all know what it takes to really get to the next level. I think it’s a really great opportunity.”

Howard saw Embiid cry after losing to the Toronto Raptors in Game 7 of Eastern Conference semifinals in 2019. He remembers his own pain in 2009 after giving everything he had. It’s a pain that stays with a player for a long time. So he knows Embiid has a fire inside him.

This upcoming season is about being focused. Howard sees focus in Embiid and Simmons.

“That’s where it starts, with our two best players,” Howard said. “And then you look at the rest of the guys on the team. They’ve all been hungry. They just never knew how to win.”

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