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Brew: Embiid 'trusts the process' in All-Star social media campaign
RAELEY YOUNGS
@raeleyy
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has emerged as one
center Joel Embiid has emerged as one of the top big men in the NBA, and possibly even as a leading candidate for Rookie of the Year. The massive amount of attention he has drawn, aside from his athletic talent, comes from the social media buzz he's cultivated.
closer bond with them.
Embiid has amassed a following of over 1.1 million users combined on Twitter and Instagram through the use of clever and often comical posts, which most recently have boosted his campaign for an All-Star Game appearance.
Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid reacts during the final minutes of a game against Toronto on Wednesday, Jan. 18.
The authenticity professional athletes like Embid display on social media lead fans to feel a
Embiid has been a trending topic on Twitter since being drafted to the NBA. Whether it's making his teammate Jahliil Okafor, a former Duke star, wear Kansas gear, posing with Drake or sending a shout out to Tim Duncan's wardrobe. Embiid always finds a way to keep people interested in what he's going to post next.
Embiid's spearheaded social media efforts may have earned him a place in the NBA All-Star Game. He averages an impressive 19.8 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game, but it's been the Twitter hype that really sets him apart from the rest.
Angels center fielder Mike Trout, and WWE's Triple H in the push to make the All-Star Game.
Associated Press
Wednesday, Jan. 18.
Support for Embiid has come through numerous endorsements from athletes and celebrities, such as actor and comedian Kevin Hart,
With 922,174 fan votes, Embiid placed third among frontcourt players in the Eastern Conference, trailing only Cleveland's LeBron James and Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo. He also finished ahead of many household names, including Cleveland's Kevin Love and New York's Carmelo Anthony, who have played in the league since Embiid was a teenager.
Embiid is undoubtedly talented, averaging nearly 20 points per game, though it is rare for a first-year player to have such a large amount of votes. The last Rookie of the Year who placed in the top 10 in All-Star votes was Kyrie Irving in 2012.
results alone would have secured Embiid a starting spot in the All-Star Game. Due to changes in rules this season, as stated by the NBA, fans account for only 50 percent of the vote, while all current players and a media panel account for 25 percent each.
A year ago, the fan voting
love that," Embiid told CSN Philly, regarding the voting results.
"The fans are going stick up for who they love, and I
However, Embiid still has a chance to appear in the game; reserves will be announced Thursday. If selected, it would make him the first rookie to make an All-Star Game roster since Blake Griffin in 2011.
It is clear Joel Embiid
is still trusting the process, and surely his time to be named an All-Star will come, whether it be this season or in the future. Either way, he will continue to improve on the court, and will become an even bigger favorite among NBA fans.
- Edited by Brenna Boat
George: Closers, outfielders highlight otherwise lethargic MLB offseason
▶ MITCH GEORGE
@MitchLGeorge
At times, the MLB offseason can prove to be just as interesting, if not more, than the regular season.
Teams engage in trade talks and contract negotiations with hope that these deals will improve their clubs for the upcoming season. With regard to free agent signings and trades, this off-season has progressed in a lethargic manner.
The position group that provided the most excitement, however, was closing pitchers.
All-Star closers Mark
Melancon, Aroldis Chapman and Kenley Jansen headlined the offseason as three top-tier closer options. Historically, back-end bullpen pitching talent finds its way to contending teams. This offseason proved to be no outlier, as Melancon inked a deal with the Giants, Jansen re-signed with the Dodgers and Chapman returned to the Yankees from his ring-yielding field trip. In addition to these signings, the Kansas City Royals traded Wade Davis to the Chicago Cubs.
Out of these transactions, the Melancon deal will have the biggest impact on its relative club. Santiago Casilla, the man who previously occupied the closer role for the Giants, blew an MLB-leading nine saves last season. Melanon was tied for the least blown saves among closers with four.
Another interesting market segment was the group of free agent outfielders.
Blue Jays slugger José Bautista made it clear he was looking for a large, long-term contract. After rejecting his $17.2 million qualifying offer, he was embarrassingly forced back to Toronto due to the lack of interest from other clubs. Ultimately, he signed for one year and $18.5 million with mutual options in the future.
As expected, All-Star outfielder Yoenis Céspedes elected to re-sign with the Mets. He was handsomely rewarded with a four-year contract worth $110 million. This caliber of contract was expected for Céspedes, but his position teammates weren't as fortunate.
Two-time All-Star Mark Trumbo is another player that witnessed a lack of interest on the open market. After leading the MLB with 47 home runs, there were rumors that he could receive a contract in the ballpark of $70 million. Instead, he was
also forced to re-sign with his original team, the Baltimore Orioles, at the modest dollar amount of $37.5 million for three years.
It's strange that no other teams were willing to give Trumbo a longer deal with more money involved. In comparison to Bautista, Trumbo's numbers are superior in every offensive category, yet Bautista is making $5 million more per year. There is, however, value in staying with your previous team, especially if that team plays in a hitterfriendly ballpark like Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
One theory is, as teams
move toward sabermetric-based statistics, they are also taking into account open market theory by waiting for other teams to establish the market before making an offer of their own. By way of this mentality, players such as Trumbo and Bautista returned to their original ball clubs because the market never established itself.
The only true way to tell which party is receiving the greater benefit is through experience. As the season progresses from spring training into the regular season, it will become clear if the organizations correctly valued their players.
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