Sixers coach ‘thrilled’ with Joel Embiid’s progress

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid, right, of Cameroon plays around with Jahlil Okafor, left,prior to the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016, in Philadelphia. The Bulls won 115-111 in overtime. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Joel Embiid will play in the NBA next season. No, seriously. It must be true. His coach said so.

That would be a first for the former Kansas center from Cameroon. But Philadelphia coach Brett Brown, in an interview on Sports Radio 94 WIP in Philadelphia, went as far as to say he thinks Embiid, who missed each of the previous two years due to foot injuries — or one injury with a complication, depending on how you look at it — will play in the Sixers’ 2016-17 season opener.

“That is my strong belief,” Brown said
in his radio appearance, during which,
according to the coach, Embiid was at
the franchise’s facility for weight
lifting and a basketball workout.

Perhaps next season Embiid will become less of a mystery man. In the meantime, Brown said Philadelphia’s medical staff wants the 7-footer, as well as the coaches working with him, taking everything slowly.

“I think that he’s coming along
tremendously,” Brown said of Embiid,
who averaged 11.2 points and 8.1
rebounds during his one-and-done
season at KU. “I feel like from a
maturity standpoint and the reality of
the professionalism that is required
for him to be money and just perfect
with the rehab, ‘pre-hab,’ nutrition,
all of that, is ever-present in Joel
Embiid.”

New Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo, appearing on Comcast’s Breakfast on Broad, also provided some insight on Embiid’s progress. Colangelo said the 22-year-old big man eventually will be cleared for five-on-five basketball activity.

“At what point, I’m not sure yet, but
he looks terrific in his drill work,”
Colangelo said. “He’s coming along.
That’s not to get over-hyped about it.
It’s just to say he’s progressing
well, and that’s encouraging for all
of us.”