Comparing 2021 Embiid to 2001 Iverson
Joel Embiid is firmly among the top candidates for the MVP award this season with his latest 50-point performance (a career high) against the Bulls adding to his case to be the favorite for the award. It’s been a while since Sixers fans have had such a talent to admire however, with Allen Iverson easily being the last player of Embiid’s caliber to wear a Sixers uniform. Everyone remembers Iverson’s 2001 season when he won MVP and led the Sixers to their first NBA Finals appearance in almost twenty years, let’s see how it compares to Embiid’s season so far.
Stats
Just a little over a week left until the All-Star Break, Joel Embiid is having himself a career year, averaging 30.5 points per game (career high) on 40% from three (also career high) and 54.7% from the field (ALSO career high). Iverson never came close to those shooting percentages, but he did eclipse the 30.5 points per game in two seasons, his 2000-01 MVP campaign and the year after (31.1 PPG and 31.4 PPG respectively). Iverson had more assists and steals than Embiid, but Embiid had more rebounds and blocks, as expected given their positions and roles. It is important however to note that Iverson was playing 42 minutes per game in 2001, while Embiid is currently playing only 32.6 and will likely never reach 40.
Roster Help
The perception of the 2001 Sixers is that it was a one man show led by Iverson, but while he did have to carry a heavy load the talent on his team was nowhere near as poor as its reputation. With All Star center Dikembe Mutombo guarding the rim, head coach Larry Brown in the midst of a season in which he’d win Coach of the Year, and talented role players like Aaron Mckie, Eric Snow, and Tyrone Hill doing the dirty work. On the other hand, Embiid has his own all-star teammate in point guard Ben Simmons, with Tobias Harris arguably in the same caliber this season. Add some shooters and role players and you’ve got the best roster Embiid has ever been a part of.
The Eye Test
Embiid is dominating this season, and I mean dominating. The 7’2 center has an arsenal of go-to moves that effectively get him buckets, and he is surprisingly athletic for his huge size. Teams are realizing this dominance, and have often opted to double team the giant of a human in crunch time to stop the easiest route to a score for the Sixers. Iverson was similarly dominant, he just did it somewhat more impressively as he didn’t have a 7’2 frame to work with, and instead was a lethal scorer at only 6 feet tall. Their games couldn’t be more different, as Embiid relies on his body to physically impose his will on a defender while Iversomn found ways around whoever was guarding him, often by using his famous crossover.
Though the two are extremely different in playstyle, 2001 Allen Iverson and 2021 Joel Embiid have shown similar dominance of the game in their MVP campaigns. With relatively close stats, almost the same level of roster help, and both passing the eye test with flying colors as they can both score at will, it seems wether Embiid or Iverson’s had a better season is too close to call. Iverson took his team to the NBA Finals, ultimately losing four straight after stealing game one from the Kobe and Shaq led Lakers. If Embiid wants to have a better overall season, it seems that will likely be judged on whether or not he can take the Sixers to the Finals too.
If the Sixers can find a way to win the title this season Embiid’s 2021 season will not only be seen as better than Iverson’s MVP year, but will likely be viewed as the greatest season in 76ers history.
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