“If Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Durant had a baby guess what, it would be Joel Embiid” - Kendrick Perkins praises leading MVP candidate with hilarious comparison
There's no question Joel Embiid is playing like one of the NBA's best players and is a front-runner for the MVP award. Former NBA player and now ESPN analyst perkins" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Kendrick Perkins had a hilarious and strange way of describing Embiid’s game.
After the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 123-120 on Thursday, Perkins said that if Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Durant had a baby, it would be Embiid. It has to be one of the strangest, most hilarious, fascinating and slightly accurate takes of Perkins' ESPN career.
On ESPN’s "NBA Today," Perkins said:
“He is the best player in the game of basketball. … If Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Durant had a baby, guess what, it would be Joel Embiid that would come out. He is so skilled, and he took the matchup personally last night. He cannot be guarded if you watch him. He has everything in his arsenal.”
“[Joel Embiid’s] the best player in the game of basketball. … If Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Durant had a baby guess what, it would be Joel Embiid that came out."
—@KendrickPerkins https://t.co/VExk9vlExD
Perkins has been known to bring humor to NBA Twitter with some of his outlandish takes. His opinions can make one think and laugh at the same time. Even though this take is just excellent, keep an eye on Richard Jefferson while Perkins talks. Jefferson, sitting next to Perkins, goes through a wide range of emotions that can be seen through his facial expressions.
Is Kendrick Perkins' take on Joel Embiid accurate?
This take is outlandish, strange and hard to wrap one's head around but makes sense. ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is trying to get at the fact that Joel Embiid possesses two types of elite skills.
Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon was known for his post-up moves and being able to back someone down in the paint and then smoothly score over the defender. Embiid often does similar things. No matter who is defending him, he can always turn his back to the basket and bully someone in the paint while also finishing gracefully.
This is a solid comparison. Embiid often embodies a modern-day Olajuwon but can space the floor a little more. Embiid is smooth within the paint and in his post-ups. That makes him hard to defend, because he can overpower a defender or use his skill and finesse to go around or over the defender.
42 PTS (14-21 FGM) | 14 REB | 5 AST 🔔 42 PTS (14-21 FGM) | 14 REB | 5 AST 🔔
@JoelEmbiid showed why he is leading the league in scoring, dropping 42 points in Milwaukee to secure the @sixers win! https://t.co/lLvv9Piqxn
Embiid’s skill is probably why Perkins chose Kevin Durant as the partner of Olajuwon to fuse together. However, this one is a little less accurate.
Durant is arguably the best scorer and most skilled player in the NBA, if not in NBA history. Durant has no offensive weaknesses. He's tall enough to make any shot, and he has the skills of a guard, able to move gracefully to whatever shot he wants or the defense gives him.
Embiid is incredibly skilled for his size, but with him and Durant being roughly the same height, this is the weaker point of the comparison. Embiid can operate on the permiter and has become a reliable outside shooter. The issue is that Durant is one of the best shooters in the NBA and one of the most efficient, beyond Embiid's level.
Perkins’ comparison is terrific. However, Embiid might be more of a modern-day Olajuwon than a child with anyone else.