May 03, 2023
If you build it, they will come.
Former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie oversaw the complete franchise teardown into The Process beginning in 2013, hoping to build a superstar-filled roster that could contend for years to come. A lot of those picks didn't pan out, but the 2014 selection of Joel Embiid with the third-overall pick certainly did.
A two-way center who's won back-to-back scoring titles and now has the Michael Jordan Trophy? This organization still owes Hinkie for taking a shot on Embiid when so many were scared off because of his injury woes.
With Embiid sitting out his first two pro seasons, it became clear that Hinkie and Embiid developed a close relationship off the court as Embiid adjusted to life in the NBA.
Hinkie was let go in spring 2016 before Bryan Colangelo took over, but his spirit lives with the devout fan base he created and whenever Embiid is out there destroying opposing defenses.
After the announcement of Embiid's MVP award win on Tuesday, the reclusive Hinkie took to Twitter to celebrate the player he banked his front-office career on with some much-deserved praise:
Dream dreams. pic.twitter.com/fNMbxWaIuW
— Sam Hinkie (@samhinkie) May 3, 2023
He gets some local credit there given that it's Will Smith in the "Pursuit of Happyness," too.
Current Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, who was formerly Hinkie's boss during the two's shared tenure with the Houston Rockets, chimed in as well:
Most Valuable Process
— Daryl MorΞy 🗽🏀 (@dmorey) May 3, 2023
Morey owes Hinkie a steak dinner at the very least for having Embiid on this roster as the Sixers look to have their best shot during the entire post-Process era of breaking through to the Eastern Conference Finals.
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