Joel Embiid had an incredible performance against the Orlando Magic. Leading the Philadelphia 76ers to a 124-109 win, the reigning MVP recorded 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 steals. JoJo also had the play of the night, flushing down a self-alley-oop. For the same, the Sixers big man revealed Anthony Edwards as his inspiration.
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Midway into the 2nd quarter, Joel Embiid found himself in an iso position at the top of the key. For the large part, Goga Bitadze did a great job defending Embiid. However, being the skilful offensive superstar that he is, the 29-year-old pulled off an incredible self-alley-oop, finding a way to score.
During the postgame conference, Embiid was asked to comment about this particular play. Responding to Gina Mizell, the 7-footer revealed he was inspired by Anthony Edwards, one of his favourite players.
“I like to challenge myself, and Anthony Edwards is one of my top 3 favorite players in the league. … I mean, dude is so nice. And I saw it last night. I was like, ‘If he can do it, why can’t I do it, too?’”
During the Minnesota Timberwolves clash against the Memphis Grizzlies, Edwards displayed his athleticism and deep offensive arsenal by throwing himself a self alley-oop. Despite guarding Ant well for the majority of the play, Xavier Tillman fell for the Wolves’ guard’s pump fake. Seeing the paint wide open, the 6ft 4” star threw the rock off the glass and finished with an emphatic dunk.
Embiid isn’t the only one to be left in awe of Ant-Man’s jaw-dropping play. Apart from the 18,000+ crowd present at the Target Center, numerous basketball fans have showcased their appreciation. In less than a single day of the video being posted on social media, Edwards’ dunk has garnered almost 2 million likes.
Many other players have pulled off the same move before Anthony Edwards and Joel Embiid
Anthony Edwards and Joel Embiid have left fans impressed this week. However, they aren’t the only players to pull off this outstanding play. In only this 2023-2024 campaign, numerous players have managed to throw lobs to themselves.
Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren, apart from being amid a well-contested Rookie of the Year race, have also entertained enthusiasts with this same play.
Over the years, the likes of LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Aaron Gordon, and Andre Iguodala, among other great in-game dunkers, have pulled off the same. However, Kobe Bryant remains the inspiration for the players of today’s era who throw lobs to themselves.
Across his highly distinguished career, Bryant flushed down self-alley-oops on numerous occasions. The most iconic of all was the excellent dunk during the second round of the 2008 postseason.
