Joel Embiid: "I Thought I Was Going To Drop To The Second-Round"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Before his surgery to repair a stress fracture in his navicular bone of his right-foot, Joel Embiid was projected by most to go number one overall in the 2014 NBA draft, and projected by nearly all to be at least selected in the top-three. After his surgery, however, no one knew.
The Sixers, with the third overall pick, took a chance on the athletic seven-footer.
"With the latest injury, I thought I was going to drop to like--I don't know--maybe top-15? Maybe second-round [laughs]? I mean, people, you know how people are like," Embiid said on the Dan Patrick show on Friday. "The way they are just talking, everyone on social media, so I bought into that. I was also listening to my agent who told me good things, but I mean I thought was going to drop to the second-round. I was kind of surprised they took me at [number] three."
Patrick pinned Embiid down, asking him what NBA big men does he look forward to dominating.
"I look forward to playing against all the bigs," Embiid said. "I want to compete every night and I look forward to playing against everyone. I would say someone like DeAndre [Jordan] or Dwight Howard."
Is the 20-year-old scared at all, of going up against the NBA's best centers?
"No, no, no," Embiid said definitely. "And I know I am going to get better."
You can listen/watch the full interview below.
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