Sixers coach Brett Brown compares Joel Embiid to legendary big Tim Duncan

First the Hakeem Olajuwon comparisons, and now this

Everybody is loving the Joel Embiid experience so far, perhaps no one more so than Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown. Raving about Embiid last Thursday, Brown compared him to another player he used to work with, who just happens to be one of the best big men to ever play basketball.

From CSN Philly's Jessica Camerato:

"I think that he is going to be the focal point both offensively and defensively," Brown said Thursday.

...

"You see him and he just has 'It,'" Brown said. "Years ago, you saw it with [Tim] Duncan. I see it with him in regards to a real target offensively and a real sort of centerpiece defensively."

The Sixers expect Joel Embiid to make quite the impact. USATSI

Usually, when a player is as hyped as the man who wants to be known as "The Process," coaches try to manage expectations. Brown has done a little bit of that, saying that Embiid needs time to develop, but then there's this.

It's worth noting that Brown wouldn't use a Tim Duncan comparison lightly. While it's impossible to know if Embiid will reach his immense potential, or even stay healthy enough to come close, there is a reason that he has been compared to Hakeem Olajuwon since college.

Embiid legitimately does have the tools to be the centerpiece of the Sixers on both ends of the floor. At 22, he's already more physically dominant than almost any NBA center, and he brings with him a polished post game, a beautiful jumper and excellent timing on blocked shots. When you watch him, even in a meaningless preseason game, it's difficult not to get carried away.