KU Basketball: Ranking Top One and Done Players
By trevb
One And Done Kansas Jayhawks
Number Two: Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid, a five star recruit per Rivals.com, committed to Kansas on November 13, 2012. Embiid would join Andrew Wiggins and carve out an unexpected monumental big man role. He was a monster in the post and one of the best big men in recent memory that joined the Jayhawks, excluding Mr. Consistency: Perry Ellis.
In his freshman season Joel Embiid would play 28 games, average 23.1 minutes per game, 11.2 points, and 2.6 blocks. It seemed as if Kansas had the pieces similar to the All-Star team of the 2009-2010 season that Xavier Henry was apart of. Almost poetically, it ended the same way in the postseason.
Related Story: KU Basketball: Battle For The Big 12 Title
With a second round exit KU again missed out on a anticipated deep run in the Tournament. Though, this time around their coveted big man would be kept off the court by a knee injury for two games of the NCAA Tournament, anticipated to return for the Sweet 16. Due to the quick exit, Joel Embiid never played in the NCAA Tournament.
After contemplating returning for a sophomore season because of his raw talent, Joel Embiid eventually decided to move on to bigger things to the 2014 NBA Draft. With the 3rd pick in the First Round of the 2014 NBA Draft the Philadelphia 76ers selected Embiid.
After Joel Embiid was sent to the Philadelphia 76ers he would again be hampered by injury and miss out on his first two seasons. Fortunately, in his current season Joel Embiid has had exceeding success. Playing in 31 games, averaging 25.4 minutes per game, 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks.
Joel Embiid has turned around a team that once held the longest losing streak in the NBA. And now with the 76ers owning Ben Simmons it seems as if Embiid has started a movement in Philadelphia that will go as far as he takes it.