The Uncertain Future: Joel Embiid and the Haunting Shadows of Patrick Ewing

Another disappointing postseason, mounting injuries, and the increasing possibility of history repeating itself

Winning in the NBA takes work. The season is long and the playoffs are grueling. Reaching the top of the mountain with a championship is equal parts difficult and unlikely. We have seen many great players that have been unable to get to that mountaintop. Such seems to be the hurdle of Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid, who again finds himself on the outside looking in with another second-round exit at the hands of the Boston Celtics. And as Embiid’s health and future in Philadelphia become more uncertain, I can’t help but think of another prominent center that ultimately never won a championship: Knicks great, Patrick Ewing.

The Great Big Man Hope

For many years in the NBA, success was defined by a great Center. Players like Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Hakeem Olajuwon were considered franchise cornerstones, the best way to ensure success. When Patrick Ewing was drafted by the Knicks in 1985, he was drafted as a savior of the franchise. The…