"I'm going with Joel Embiid, him and Kevin Durant right now are the two most skilled players in the NBA" – Kendrick Perkins picks Embiid over Nikola Jokic, praises his skill set

Former NBA veteran Kenrick Perkins reset his big man rankings Thursday on ESPN’s "NBA Today," making a tough choice between Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic.

In December, Perkins ranked the league's best three big men, choosing Jokic, Embiid and Rudy Gobert – in that order.

When asked if his list remains unchanged a month later, Perkins said:

“I’m moving Joel Embiid to number one, sliding Jokic down to number two," Perkins said. "And I had to think about this, Giannis (Antetokounmpo) actually has been playing center this entire season for the Milwaukee Bucks. And shame on me for not recognizing that. He’s going in number three and booting Rudy up out of there.”

Embiid has played 33 games for the Philadelphia 76ers, averaging 28 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists.

Jokic has played 38 games for the Denver Nuggets, averaging 25.9 points, 13.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists.

When asked which one he would choose for his team, Perkins picked Embiid, saying:

“When you talk about today, in today’s game, when you talk about skill sets, zero flaws on the offensive end – it’s Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid and everyone else. It’s nothing that this man can’t do.”

Embiid has put in work over the last few years, adding more offensive moves to his repertoire. He can dominate the paint, make midrange shots and shoot from beyond the arc (shooting 37.5% this season).

Although Jokic is an offensive machine as well, Perkins is in awe of Embiid’s skill set, saying:

“He can take you on the low block, he got the one leg Dirk (Nowitzki), side-step 3-point shot. He can handle the rock, Euro step down the lane, finish and one through contact. I’m going with Joel Embiid. Him and Kevin Durant right now are the two most skilled players in the NBA.”

Joel Embiid is gaining momentum midway through the season

Kevin Durant is well-known for being unstoppable on offense. Joel Embiid being placed alongside Durant is a result of his hard work, which shows up in his game.

In the last 15 games, Embiid has scored thirty points or more 13 times. In that stretch, he averaged 33.1 points, 10.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. The Philadelphia 76ers won 11 of those games, improving their standing to fifth in the East, just 2.5 games out of first.

In a 123-110 win over the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, Embiid scored a season-high 50 points in 27 minutes. Only Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors has reached the 50-point mark faster. In the fourth quarter, Embiid played less than a minute as the 76ers won easily. The big man made 17 field goals and 15 free-throws.

Throughout the season, Embiid has been performing well on both ends of the floor. Defensively, he has averaged 1.1 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. In the absence of Ben Simmons, Embiid has taken up the challenge of leading the team and is reaping the fruits of his effort. In this exceptional season, he has emerged as another contender for the MVP title.