Joel Embiid Says He Learned How to Shoot Threes By Watching YouTube Videos
Sixers star Joel Embiid says he learned how to shoot from beyond the arc by watching YouTube videos of "white people shooting 3 pointers."
In a piece for the Player's Tribune, Embiid detailed his experience learning basketball. Since he didn't start playing until highschool, Embiid had "no form, no fundamentals."
His size helped him at the rim, but his shot needed a lot of work. So the NBA superstar turned to then-teammate Michael Frazier II and YouTube for help.
Here's how he learned:
"So I’m chilling one night, and I go on YouTube, and I’m thinking I’m about to figure this shooting thing out.
I go to the search box like....
HOW TO SHOOT 3 POINTERS.
Nah.
HOW TO SHOOT GOOD FORM
Nah.
Then the light bulb went off, man. I typed in the magic words.
WHITE PEOPLE SHOOTING 3 POINTERS."
Embiid went on to explain: "Listen, I know it’s a stereotype, but have you ever seen a normal, 30-year-old white guy shoot a three-pointer? That elbow is tucked, man. The knees are bent. The follow-through is perfect. Always. You know how in America, there’s always an older guy wearing like EVERLAST sweat-shorts at the court? That guy is always a problem. His J is always wet. Those are the guys I learned from on YouTube. Just random people shooting threes with perfect form."
For Philadelphia and Markelle Fultz, the Future Must Begin Now
The seven-footer shot .308 from the three last season and .483 overall. It looks like The Process has YouTube to thank for those stats.
Embiid also threw in that he almost quit basketball in his first scrimmage at Kansas after Tarik Black dunked on him. Bill Self saved the day and Embiid went third overall to Philadelphia in the 2014 draft one year later.
