Joel Embiid claimed that he would not be an NBA player without Kobe Bryant. After the Philadelphia 76ers’ win over the Detroit Pistons, the Sixers’ superstar talked on Embiid’s impact on his career and his game.
Kobe Bryant was the reason Embiid became interested in basketball, according to the superstar big. Embiid discussed when he saw Kobe for the first time and how that moment impacted his career.
(via CBS Sports):
“I was about 13 or something like that,” Embiid said. “It was the Finals against Boston and it was my first time watching NBA basketball and it happened to be on the Lakers. All I kept hearing about was Kobe, and they won that year.
That was the first time I watched and that was also when I fell in love with basketball, and that’s why he became my favorite player. I will say that I’m probably here because of him.”
Embiid has several “Kobe-like’ moves in his repertoire being among the best NBA players from the in-between area imitating several aspects of the Lakers’ legend game including his fadeaway jumpshot.
“Kobe, we miss him a lot. I miss him a lot,” Embiid added. “He was my favorite player and even when you watch the way I play basketball and the moves that I’ve added, especially when it comes to fadeaways over both shoulders, that comes from a lot of tapes on Kobe’s game. I miss him a lot. I wish he was still here with us.”
