Trust in the Process

By Torin Alexander

     The NBA gods have finally shown compassion for the woeful 76ers. For the past three seasons, the Philadelphia 76ers have played way below average, having a combination of a 47 wins and 199 losses over three years. Last year, the 76ers were unable to get their 10th win until April 5th, 2016. Many people have said that the 76ers hit rock bottom with their 18-64 record two years ago, but the following year they surprised fans with an abysmal 10 wins and 72 losses, which is, surprisingly, not even their worst season. Overall, the years have not been great for the  Philadelphia 76ers. With that being said, the fans were shellshocked to have a new era: Joel Embiid.
       
     Joel Embiid was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers as the first pick of the 2014-2015 season. Unfortunately, Embiid was unable to play his rookie season due to a broken navicular bone in his foot. He then re-injured his foot the following year, sitting out for another whole season. During this time, Embiid was able to study the NBA game and the star players who are taking the NBA by storm.
     As the 2016-2017 year was starting, the 76ers fans and staff were hit with startling news when their first round pick, Ben Simmons, had fractured his foot in a team practice. Hearing this, the fans and staff began to believe that it was going to be another rough season. That is until Joel Embiid was able to score 20 points and 7 rebounds. Though the team lost, the fans were able to see a streak of hope for the future.

     As the NBA season continued, the Philadelphia 76ers began to show what people are calling “The Process”. The name started as a nickname for Joel Embiid, but it's now a nickname for the whole team. Joel Embiid’s performance has impacted the team’s performance in unbelievable ways. As said before, the Philadelphia 76ers didn't win their 10th game until April 5th of last year, but this season they were able to get their 10th win on January 8th. This is still below par, but the fact that the 76ers were able to get the win four months earlier than their previous year is an obvious example of development. Junior, Brenden Rose, states “The fact that they were able to have a winning record in the month of January is a huge upgrade from last year”. The young team was able to achieve an outstanding 10-5 record in the month of January, which caught the eyes of many fans and analysts.

     Though the 76ers raising expectations, many ask how will Ben Simmons impact the team? Ben Simmons, the 76ers first round pick of the 2016-2017 season, is unable to play due to his injury that happened at the beginning of the season. Reports and the team doctor have stated that Ben Simmons is now able to play and is returning after the All-star weekend, but for safety, he will not play the rest of the season. Simmons showed glimpses of talent during the Summer League, but people have no idea how he'll play against stars and with Joel Embiid by his side. Junior, Glenn Brown, explains that “Joel Embiid is being recognized as one of the best rookies in the league and with Ben Simmons, they're about to tear it up”.

​     With Joel Embiid leading the way, NBA fans are starting to see a new era of the 76ers. And the addition of Ben Simmons, who will be coming back from injury next season, the 76ers team is looking to turn some heads and receive some of the respect they had years ago. The 76ers have become one of the biggest future talents in the NBA, due to Joel Embiid’s contributions. Though it could be slow process, fans are now able to see some growth from the young Philadelphia team. Do you trust in the process?