76ers' Joel Embiid pines for Jimmy Butler with 'best player in league' quip
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Jimmy Butler and Joel Embiid have always been close with one another, ever since Butler spent a season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Although they did not play together for all that long, these two have always held a tremendous amount of respect for one another. With Embiid’s Sixers on the road to take on Butler’s Miami Heat on Monday, these two once again reunited on the court, only this time as combatants of one another.
It was Butler who got the last laugh over his former teammate, as the Heat picked up a much-needed 107-89 victory to move to 6-7 on the year. For Embiid and the 76ers, this was yet another frustrating and devastating loss, as they fell to 2-11 overall with their fourth straight loss. Butler led the way for Miami in this one, scoring a game-high 30 points on 8-of-12 shooting, as well as adding 10 rebounds and five assists to his name.
The six-time All-Star, who had missed the Heat’s previous four games due to injury, returned to the court and dominated the 76ers. After the game, Embiid made sure to give his friend the respect he deserved, even going as far to deem Butler as one of the greatest players in the league right now.
“I mean, Jimmy is Jimmy. He does everything,” Embiid said of Butler, via Brady Hawk of Five Reasons Sports. “Scoring, passing the ball. Commanding while being on the floor. Both sides of the floor. One of the best players in the league. Probably top five. Probably the best, actually. Best player in the league. He’s hard. He’s hard to guard. You know, it takes the whole team.
“Like I said, amazing basketball player.”
Joel Embiid, Jimmy Butler relationship
Does Embiid actually believe that Butler is one of the best players in the NBA, possibly the best? Probably not, but this goes to show the amount of respect Embiid still holds for his former teammate, now turned rival.
Butler was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the 76ers during the 2018-19 season. Although he only spent 55 games in a Sixers uniform, he made a long-lasting impact on Embiid and his career trajectory, especially since that season was really the start of Embiid’s rise to excellence.
These two have always held a strong bond with one another, and the amount of respect they show each other is unmatched. There is probably even a part of Embiid that still wishes Philadelphia made the max offer to keep the All-Star wing instead of pursuing other free agents when they did. After all, if it wasn’t for Kawhi Leonard’s buzzer-beating three-pointer in the corner for the Toronto Raptors, the 76ers would’ve likely advanced to the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals.
Regardless if he is coming off an injury or banged up, Butler has proven to be one of the league’s best warriors in the sense that he is dangerous any time he steps foot on the court. Embiid recognizes this, which is why he gave the Heat star his flowers after their matchup.
After losing to Butler and the Heat on Monday, Embiid and the 76ers now find themselves 2-11 to begin the 2024-25 season, a spot they did not imagine themselves being in at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. At the same time, the good news is that Philadelphia is only one hot streak away from being right back in the playoff picture, as the Heat, who are currently in sixth place, are only four games ahead of the Sixers.
While he doesn’t have Butler by his side, Embiid will be looking to quickly turn things around in Philadelphia with Paul George and Tyrese Maxey when he returns from his hamstring injury.
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