LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and more react to Joel Embiid’s historic 70-point game
“This is the peak of basketball,” said Durant.
Joel Embiid stunned the NBA world on Monday night, scoring 70 points against the San Antonio Spurs to top Wilt Chamberlain’s 76ers record for most points in a game.
The Sixers center won the MVP last year and is leading the league in scoring again this season. He keeps outdoing himself. His career-best 70-point performance, tied for 12th in a single game all-time, came on the 18-year anniversary of his idol Kobe Bryant’s record-breaking 81-point game and had the entire NBA on notice.
Suns star Kevin Durant was initially at a loss for words when he was told about Embiid’s game.
» READ MORE: Joel Embiid channels idol Kobe Bryant as he scores 70 and breaks Wilt Chamberlain’s Sixers scoring record
“Seventy? He had 70?” Durant told reporters Monday. “... The skill level in this league is insane, and actually the coaching and the schemes on offense are insane. You see so many different sets being run for bigs to get free. Coaches are being way more creative to get their best players in position to get those numbers. You have shooters all around the floor, you have penetrators. This is the peak of basketball in my opinion.”
LeBron James also took to X (formerly Twitter) to praise Embiid for his performance.
Embiid’s college coach Bill Self was on ESPN’s late-night SportsCenter. Scott Van Pelt got the Kansas coach’s live reaction to the historic performance and Self shared the moment when he knew Embiid was a special talent.
“He learned everything in the eight months he was here in Lawrence, Kansas,” Self joked. “Everything ... The first time I saw him practice at his high school, he got into it with some kid and started chasing him around the gym. I saw how athletic he was chasing a little 5-10 guy. ... I said, ‘He’s going to be the No. 1 pick in the draft.’ He wasn’t, he was third, but he’s a different talent.”
» READ MORE: Sixers’ Joel Embiid: ‘Pretty cool’ to be in ‘same conversation’ as Wilt Chamberlain with 70-point game
Knicks star and former Villanova guard Jalen Brunson had just one word to describe Embiid’s performance ...
Kevin Garnett said Embiid was on his way to a second MVP.
Kendrick Perkins said the performance showed why Embiid is the NBA’s best scorer.
» READ MORE: Victor Wembanyama calls Joel Embiid’s career night ‘inspiring’ following first matchup
The Sixers also took the time to hype up their star. The team poured water on Embiid in celebration during his postgame interview on the court ...
... and once he got into the locker room after the game.
Teammate Marcus Morris Sr. posted an Instagram story of Embiid holding up the number 70 on a piece of paper to celebrate his big game, a nod to the iconic photo of Chamberlain holding up his “100″ sign after his record-setting performance. Embiid cracked a quick smile but otherwise looked stoic, already locked in for the next game.
How much better can he get?