Embiid: 'By the end of my career, I want to be a point guard'

Joel Embiid fancies himself a floor general.

The 7-foot rookie currently plays center for the Philadelphia 76ers, but he hopes to be manning a different position when it's all said and done.

"By the end of my career I want to be a point guard," he told reporters after showing he can facilitate plays from the perimeter in Tuesday's 93-91 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, as quoted by Liberty Ballers' Kyle Neubeck.

Point guards are traditionally smaller guys, but as the league trends toward position-less basketball, we're seeing more big playmakers - think 6-foot-11 Milwaukee Bucks phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo - and undersized bigs like Utah Jazz power forward Boris Diaw, who began his career as a shooting guard.

In fact, the player heralded as the future of the Sixers at the one-spot is No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons, who stands 6-foot-10. With that in mind, it's not too far-fetched to think someone two inches taller could someday get minutes running the offense.

Embiid has started at center in all 23 of his contests this campaign and played every single minute at the five-spot. He's dominating as a young up-and-coming frontcourt player with some playmaking skills to boot, having shown he can draw in defenders and pass out to teammates who are in optimal position to score.

"The Process" is the front-runner for Rookie of the Year, averaging 19.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.4 blocks, and 1.9 assists in 25 minutes a night. Fellow big man DeMarcus Cousins said last week that Embiid has a chance to be the best center in the NBA ... after he retires. Never short on confidence, Embiid responded saying he doesn't think he'll have to wait that long.

The 22-year-old figures to have plenty of time to excel in as many positions as he wants. Coming off multiple foot surgeries that delayed his NBA debut for two years, Embiid declared in the preseason he plans to play at least 20 years in the league.