Sixers star Joel Embiid ranked on list of top 99 defenders in history

[ASFN Admin]

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is known as being one of the more dominant offensive players in the game. The 2023 MVP winner has career averages of 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, but he was also once one of the top defenders in the game as he averages 1.6 blocks in his career.

Embiid has lost a step defensively as injuries have taken their toll on his body, but when he was at his peak, the big fella was phenomenal on that end of the floor. There was nothing Embiid couldn't do on the floor and that's why he deserves a lot of credit for what he's done in his career.

Bleacher Report ranked the top 99 defenders in the history of the NBA and Embiid comes in ranked No. 91 on the list:

Younger fans may only know Joel Embiid as the lumbering, near-300-pound giant who jogged up and down the floor and dominated one end as little more than a jump shooter.

But before repeated injuries sapped him of much of the athleticism he had early in his career, Embiid was a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate and a near-perennial All-Defense contender.

With his size and pre-injury explosiveness, Embiid was a dynamic rim protector and a near-immovable presence on the low block.

As he heads into the 2026-27 season, Embiid will look to have a healthy season. He stated how much of a success the 2025-26 season was for him, personally, and the goal now for him is to carry momentum into the upcoming season and be healthy for Philadelphia when it matters most.

This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers star Joel Embiid ranked on list of top 99 defenders in history

Continue reading...