Joel Embiid
had one of those nights that every basketball player dreams of.
His
70 points,
more than half of what the
Philadelphia 76ers needed to beat the
San Antonio Spurs
133 to 123 ,
made the performance of the 2.13 meter Cameroonian giant one of the most outstanding in NBA history
.
.
And that is a lot to say.
It is enough to see the reaction of
Kevin Durant,
who was shocked to learn of such an achievement, or the publication of a legend like
LeBron James
to take the dimension of a feat that, without going any further, neither of them had achieved so far. and that only three other players achieved in this century: Donovan Mitchell and Damian Lillard in 2023 and Devin Booker in 2017.
"There is only one Dream
," Embiid told
The Players Tribune
in 2020, referring to Nigerian legend Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, who starred in the NBA with the Houston Rockets.
"There is only one Shaq (for Shaquille O'Neal).
I don't want to be the best in history. I'm trying to be the best in the league
,
" he concluded.
And his performance this Monday at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia brings him very close to that ambitious goal.
In any case, his story, unlike that of many of the stars of the NBA past and present, is not that of those who were clear from minute zero that they would reach the top.
He stood out from a young age, yes, but he remembered in that 2020 interview when he missed his first training session at the
Luc Mbah a Moute Basketball Camp,
a training camp aimed at children and adolescents interested in this sport.
Joel Embiid scored 70 points last night and this reaction from Kevin Durant says it all.
pic.twitter.com/fYU1YQuWTv
— Ciro Procuna (@cprocuna) January 23, 2024
"I was absent so I could stay at home and play FIFA with Arthur (her brother). My mom was always very strict with the housework and she was just on vacation, so we took advantage of that opportunity to relax and play video games.
I didn't think that "I had any chance of going to the NBA, or playing at the university level in the United States. That wasn't even a dream
," he said.
"The next day, after my dad found out, he made sure I got into training camp and then basically my whole life changed," he added.
There he discovered that his talent was serious.
Yes, he could dream of the NBA.
That moment was a before and after, in his career and in his life
.
For the better, of course.
Although he also remembers how difficult it was for him to leave Cameroon, leave everyday life with his family, especially with his brother, who was like his best friend, and settle in the United States.
"We all have that person who always gives us positive energy, who is fun to be with, someone who always supports you, no matter what. For me, that was Arthur," he
described him.
As if through a tube, Embiid walked towards the NBA and, despite being far from his beloved brother, they stayed in constant contact.
In 2014 he was chosen with the third
pick
in the Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and, just that same year of absolute ecstasy, the moment occurred that stopped his life once and for all: Arthur's death.
Every now and then he returns to that moment.
Joel Embiid with his brother Arthur, who died in 2014. (Joel Embiid, via The Players Tribune)
"I got a call. Arthur was involved in an accident at home. He was walking home from school with some of his classmates when he was hit by a truck.
Just like that, my brother was gone. He was so full of life and He left. No one could believe it. It was a shock for our entire family and, honestly, it's something we're still dealing with," he said, with an open heart.
From there, the perspective of sporting successes and also failures changed.
The best example of this was the agonizing defeat against the Toronto Raptors in one of the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2018-19 season, 92-20 with Kawhi Leonard's BuzzerBeater that bounced four times off the rim before entering and give the victory to the Canadian franchise.
There was so much support that Embiid received from the fans, as well as from his teammates and the different members of the 76ers after the death of his brother, that he began to desire the NBA ring more than as a great sporting achievement.
That's why, on the way to the locker room, he burst into tears.
A dream that seemed close was collapsing.
"Maybe I could have blocked the shot," Joel Embiid lamented and continues to lament.
(Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)
"I don't think I've ever shown that kind of emotion on a basketball court in my life.
Basketball isn't about life or death, but in this case it wasn't about the game. I had tears in my eyes walking off the court at most. that I wanted that title for the city and for my family,"
he summarized.
His brother's early departure led him to think about retirement.
He thought many times about lowering his arms, but he ended up convincing himself that it was not the best option, even sometimes against his own will.
"I kept going. There were many days when I just wanted to take a flight back home. I wanted to give up everything, but I kept working to try to be well, healthy.
I felt that if I did that, my brother would be very proud of me,"
counted and had its fruits.
He left with 70 points for history, and for the memory of little Arthur.
The 76ers have a record of 29 wins and 13 losses and are third in the Eastern Conference.
(AP/Matt Slocum)
The 70 point club
After his perfect night against the Spurs, Joel Embiid became the ninth player to reach 70 points in an NBA game after
Wilt Chamberlain,
who achieved it five times,
Kobe Bryant, David Thompson, Damian Lillard, Donovan Mitchell, David Robinson, Elgin Baylor and Devin Booker.
Wilt Chamberlain (100)
Kobe Bryant (81)
Wilt Chamberlain (78)
David Thompson (73)
Wilt Chamberlain (73)
Wilt Chamberlain (73)
Wilt Chamberlain (72)
Damian Lillard (71)
Donovan Mitchell (71)
David Robinson (71)
Elgin Baylor (71)
Joel Embiid (70)
Devin Booker (70)
Wilt Chamberlain (70)