The All-Star appearances for a player in the NBA is great and it’s great making the playoffs and seeing your name up in lights, but sometimes it all becomes meaningless if you don’t win a championship.
That is when you have to step up and become a leader on and off the floor and that’s what Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid is trying to do for his team. The Sixers are in the middle of a frustrating three-game losing streak and they’re turning to the big man to help them out of it.
“That’s why I’m the leader,” Embiid said. “These guys respect me and I show it on the court. Whatever I got to do, I will keep on doing that.”
The Sixers superstar big man has never been a vocal guy, at least not in the locker room, but he leads by example. He has always been a guy who will go out on the floor and do whatever it takes to get some wins.
“I don’t talk much, I lead by example, but if I feel the need to say something I will,” Embiid added. “As a leader, you have to kind of do that so that’s what I try to do.”
For a guy like Al Horford, who has been in the league for 12 years now, it’s been a bit of an adjustment period for him as the leaders on his new team are still so young. He finds himself turning to his younger teammate in Embiid for guidance.
“To be fair, even though they are younger, I’m looking to Joel as our leader,” said Horford. “He’s the one that’s been here the longest. He understands, he knows the things we need to do and I’m just trying to help in any way that I can to fit in and do whatever I have to do.”
The Sixers veteran has noticed a difference in Embiid’s leadership ability and the things that he’s been able to do to try and help his team get out of a rut.
“He’s starting to be more vocal,” he added. “He’s starting to speak more and it’s been positive. Especially the last few days.”
Philadelphia will look to at least salvage a game on this road trip when they face the Houston Rockets on Friday. [lawrence-related id=22576,22566,22557]