Former Kansas center Joel Embiid ‘killing it’ in NBA, Jayhawks’ coach Bill Self says
Former University of Kansas center Joel Embiid will start in the NBA All-Star Game for the fourth consecutive season Sunday at State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
“He’s killing it. He’s killing it and we’re all so happy for him,” KU coach Bill Self said Thursday of the 7-foot, 280-pound center for the Philadelphia 76ers, who has been an all-star in four of the five years he’s been physically able to play in the league.
Remember the 26-year-old native of Yaounde, Cameroon missed the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons because of a right foot injury that required surgery and extensive rehab.
Self was asked about Embiid’s phenomenal 2020-21 season by a national reporter during a Zoom call with media members after the Jayhawks’ 67-62 regular-season ending victory over UTEP on Thursday night in Allen Fieldhouse.
“The thing about it is, I’m not saying I’m right by any stretch, but whenever I see Joel, I’m going, ‘I don’t know why you shoot so many threes. I don’t know why you don’t play with your back to the basket. Nobody can guard you,’’’ Self said. “And it seems like to me this year he’s shooting more free throws and scoring more points because he’s playing in the post more because he’s such a load (in the paint).”
Embiid, who played at KU one season (2013-14) before turning pro, averages 30.2 points a game on 52.1% shooting. He’s made 37 of 89 threes for 41.6% and 298 of 348 free throws for 85.6%. His Philadelphia 76ers take a 24-12 record into the all-star break. It’s the best record in the East Conference.
“I want his team to do really well. Obviously that will trigger what probably the MVP race is all about at some point in time,” Self said. “He is playing at a high level now. It’s nice to see him kind of separate himself. even though there’s other good bigs, obviously — the guy in Denver (Nikola Jokic) and some others. But to see him separate himself in a way that he can become the most dominant big man in the world … we thought all along he had it in him, but he’s certainly playing to that level.”
Enaruna was DNP/coach’s decision
Self was asked about Tristan Enaruna’s not playing in Thursday’s come-from-behind win over UTEP. In fact, the sophomore wing from The Netherlands has played three combined minutes in the last four games.
“Tristan has done fine. He hasn’t felt great physically. I’m not making excuses for him. But he’s had some stuff going on that’s just been nagging that hadn’t allowed him to feel great, probably not as strong,” Self said. “He doesn’t have all his strength, but he told me today it’s the best he’s felt in a while.
“So I’m excited about that. But today, in in a game like that (in which KU trailed by 14 points at halftime after scoring 20 points the entire half), where you can’t score, it’s not a free-flowing game. And there’s not a lot of angles to get to the rim.
“I wanted to play guys that at least had the potential to maybe knock down some shots,” Self added, “even though we didn’t shoot very many of them. And we didn’t make very many of them (5 of 15 threes to UTEP’s 8 of 26). Obviously him not playing tonight isn’t an indication of what we think of him as a player.”
Jossell, Muscadin update
Self revealed after Saturday’s win over Baylor that freshman guard Latrell Jossell had a foot injury and frosh power forward Gethro Muscadin a bruised lower leg.
“They both practiced the last couple days. They are nicked up but will get through the season,” Self said Thursday.
This, that
Overcoming a 15-point deficit gave the Jayhawks their biggest comeback win since Jan. 15, 2018, when KU overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat West Virginia, 71-66, in Morgantown, West Virginia. … KU (19-8) won 13 of 14 games in Allen Fieldhouse this season. … The Jayhawks outscored the Miners 22-6 in points in the paint the second half. … KU has won 20 consecutive games against nonconference opponents in Allen Fieldhouse. … Kansas recorded its first win of the year when trailing with five minutes left on the clock. The Jayhawks trailed UTEP, 55-54, with 5:00 to play. … Marcus Garrett recorded four steals. He passed Tyshawn Taylor and Jerod Haase to move into 12th place on KU’s all-time steals list. He has 175 career steals. … Dajuan Harris earned 25 minutes of playing time, the second longest stint of his freshman season. He played 27 minutes at TCU on Jan. 5. … Harris went 4-for-4 from the free throw line, recording a career-high in free throw attempts and makes. … Kansas will enter the 2021 Big 12 championship (March 10-13) at T-Mobile Center as the No. 2 or 3 seed. KU will open play in the event’s quarterfinals on Thursday.
