Tarik Black: When Embiid almost cut basketball – Basketball – Greece – Olympic Basketball
The new acquisition of Olympiakos, Tarik Blackhas a special relationship with him Joel Embiid. When the former was finishing his college career with Kansas in the 2013/14 season, the Cameroonian center and now NBA superstar was an NCAA rookie.
The African ace had described her first… traumatic experience of the later good friend. “On my first day of doubles at Kansas, Tarik Black nailed me so hard I almost quit basketball. I was looking for tickets to go home. The guy was in his fourth year, a whole man. I didn’t know how loud it plays. I got an offensive rebound and he nailed it so hard, I was watching it all in slow motion“, Embiid had stated.
Black, who graduated and then played four seasons in the NBA despite going undrafted, always believed in Embiid. “Jozo (so he calls him) is like a little brother to me. We went to training every day and in the summers we worked together. I knew early on that he was special and always thought he would only play one season in college and get drafted right away. When I did this nailing, I then told him that he should prepare his mind for what is coming because he will face many difficulties. I had told him that he must become the best way of his generation. He is an amazing talent and I am proud of his development“, the 30-year-old center said in an earlier interview.
The two shared the No. 5 pick on the Jayhawks in 2013-14, with Embiid being drafted No. 3 by the Sixers, where he remains to this day. “We did everything together, he was always by my side and gave me advice as an elder“, the young Embiid had said about his collaboration and relationship with Black.
Now after eight seasons in the NBA he already has five All Star Game appearances, this year (2021/22) he was the leading scorer in the NBA and the last two seasons he was in the top three for the MVP award.
Follow bwinSPOR FM 94.6 on Google news to be the first to know the latest news from Greece and the world.