Embiid 'deadass' about ambition to play point guard

Earlier in January, Joel Embiid declared he wants to be a point guard by the end of his career.

Some laughed and dismissed the notion as another one of the Philadelphia 76ers big man's jokes, but he maintains he wasn't fooling around about his desire to someday run the point.

"Yeah, deadass, I'm really serious," Embiid recently told The Ringer's Kevin O'Connor. "You know, I think, I feel like I'm willing to learn and I feel like I can do anything on the basketball court. And if I have someone to teach me how to be a point guard, I think I can. Obviously guarding other point guards will be kind of tough. You know, if I get the chance to do that, that's what I want to do."

It seems overly ambitious, even far-fetched, to imagine the 7-footer will get the chance to man the one-spot given his size and adroitness at the five, where he's played every minute of his young pro career. However, it's within the realm of possibility that he could develop into a savvy playmaker, as he has a high basketball IQ and has already shown flashes of skill handling the ball and facilitating for his teammates.

Though Embiid's willingness to learn and commitment to becoming the best all-around hooper he can be is refreshing, head coach Brett Brown has pegged fellow rookie Ben Simmons as the club's point guard of the future.

It's still incredible how far the 22-year-old Cameroonian's already come since picking up the sport in 2011. He put in hours in the gym to make significant strides in his lone year at Kansas before getting drafted third overall by the Sixers 2014, and hasn't let up.

"The Process" is leading the Rookie of Year race (and it's not close) and putting up historic numbers while on a minutes restriction. His on-court production, coupled with his social media blitz, might even see him make an All-Star appearance in his first season after his debut was delayed two years due to foot injuries.

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Embiid leads Philly with 19.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 25 minutes per game, and is trying to carry his club to the playoffs for the first time in five years.