Is Joel Embiid really the best scorer in NBA History?

Is Joel Embiid really the best scorer in NBA History?

O.K., before you go crazy, I’m not actually here to convince you that Joel Embiid is the greatest scorer of all time. He certainly is one of the more gifted scorers of our time, given the way he moves with his 7-foot frame. But even as a biased Sixer fan, I can’t say Embiid is the greatest scorer of all time.

But Dan Roche of NBC Sports Philadelphia wrote an interesting piece this week discussing just that, and I think is worth looking into as he did make some interesting points in his case for the big man.

One big point Roche makes is that Embiid has the most points per 36 minutes in NBA history at 30.9, almost a full two points ahead of Luka Doncic. Embiid has always been a demon when it comes to per 36 stats. The issue is, in my opinion, per 36-minute stats aren’t very reliable.

It’s simply unreasonable to ever assume that a player would play, much less average, 36 minutes a game. It’s completely unrealistic and the mere existence of the stat is proof of that. The stat assumes that you are playing at your best over a 36-minute time span, which we know is almost never the case.

Aside from players going on hot/cold streaks, fatigue sets in and you surely won’t be playing with the same intensity in minute 32 than you were in minute 4. The stat really just involves a lot of projecting and assuming too much that a player is going to play at an elite level for a duration that long.

Roche also points out how few minutes Embiid has played in relation to other scorers before and during his time, which makes his inflated per 36 stats even more unreliable. The other guys have simply played more minutes, which is a disservice in a stat like this.

Another big point Roche makes is one that in my opinion kills his entire argument. He talks about how Joel Embiid has the fourth most points among all players through their first 400 games. Now aside from 400 being a rather specific number, he isn’t even No. 1 on the list, which should have spelled the end of his entire argument.

The fact he’s fourth implies that there are at least three scorers that are better than him. Normally this wouldn’t be a big deal, but it is when you are saying he is the greatest scorer of all time.

Joel Embiid to play for Team USA in 2024 Paris Olympics

Now this isn’t all to bash Roche and Joel Embiid. Like I said, Roche makes some interesting points and I think it’s worth the read. But even as a biased fan, I just can’t let this narrative start spreading. Embiid already got his MVP, let’s just be happy with that.

Joel Embiid certainly is one of the game’s best scorers of the basketball. But I don’t even think you could say right now he’s hands down number one, much less throughout NBA history. Maybe if he stayed more healthy over the course of his career it could be more of an argument. But for now, it’s an argument that holds no real value to me.

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