Joel Embiid 2023-24 NBA Fantasy Outlook: Projecting Sixers All-Star’s performance this season
Coming off a season where he won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award, Joel Embiid is expected to return with added bounce to his game and build on the gains he has achieved in his career. It is for this reason that he is a top-of-mind choice to go in the top 3 in fantasy drafts.
In last year’s campaign, the former Kansas Jayhawk led the league in scoring with 33.1 points (54.8% shooting clip from the field and 85.7% from the free-throw line), 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and a steal per games in 66 games.
As per Yahoo Sports, Joel Embiid’s fantasy league standing continues to be solid in the about-to-start season. He is a great pick at center with his ability to chalk up double-double numbers (points and rebounds) game in and game out while also posting steady stats in blocks. The 7-footer also has a good touch from the charity line while also having the hand to drain shots from beyond the arc.
The complicated James Harden situation in Philadelphia should also work to Joel Embiid’s advantage from a fantasy league perspective as he would be relied on to do more heavy lifting in much of their games, which could mean added numbers for league managers to feast on.
Of course, when we talk about "The Process", injury is a concern given his history in the NBA. But in the last two years, he played the most games than at any point in his seven-year career, missing just 30 games out of a possible 164. And besides, injuries can happen to any player and, ditto, a concern for all.
Given where he came from last season, coupled with the desire to continue to improve as a player and taking the Sixers along with him, Joel Embiid is a great selection in the first round.
Nick Nurse should be a boon to Joel Embiid in fantasy league
The arrival of new head coach Nick Nurse should improve the standing of the Philadelphia 76ers superstar and reigning MVP in fantasy basketball league play.
Nurse, formerly coach of the Toronto Raptors, signed with the Sixers in June, and one of the things he wants to get accomplished is to further enhance the already-potent skill set of the center. Among them is to mold the Cameroonian-French-American player to be a better shot blocker and a well-rounded player.
The coach told "The Pat Bev Podcast":
“First and foremost, I hate to be boring and start at the defensive end, but I'm going to really expect a lot of rim protection from him. He's gotta take more swings at blocked shots, swing more. That'd be the first thing.
“He continues to develop and be creative on offense. I would imagine you're gonna see him doing a little bit of everything: bringing it up the floor, running screen and rolls, DHOs, down screens, cross screens, back screens. They're gonna have to defend everything with him.”
With all the plans of coach Nurse for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, fantasy league managers who draft Embiid should have much to look forward to from the player.