“This is a star that you want to shine a light on” - Stephen A. Smith praises Joel Embiid, believes he’s up there with Shaq and Kareem in terms of talent

It's been nothing short of inspirational for the Philadelphia 76ers fans to watch Joel Embiid lead them to victory in home games. It is even more inspiring and rejuvenating when he leads them to victory on the road.

Embiid and the 76ers claimed victory in their Game 3 outing on the road against the Toronto Raptors in the first-round of the playoffs. A clutch three-pointer from Embiid in overtime was the winning factor in Wednesday's victory at the Scotiabank Arena. The 76ers go 3-0 up in the series and are one win away from advancing to the semifinals.

On ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith spoke about Joel Embiid's greatness this season and his impact in the playoffs for the 76ers. He categorized Embiid as one of the 'greatest big men in the history of basketball,' in the company of the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, George Mikan and Bill Walton.

Stephen A. said:

"Joel Embiid just reminded us all of his level of greatness. This is one of the great great big men we've ever seen in the history of basketball from a talent perspective. When you think about the days of George Mikan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, obviously Shaq and let me not forget Bill Walton."

"We cannot ignore Embiid. Joel Embiid, this year, has shown his greatness, he's shown his leadership and he's got one of the great great personalities in the game of basketball as well. This is a star you need to shine the lights on."

Going by his performances this season, "JoJo" is one of the strongest contenders for the 2022 MVP title in close quarters with Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. With Smith having an opportunity to vote for the MVP, he revealed that Embiid was his MVP vote.

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Will Joel Embiid lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a clean sweep against the Toronto Raptors?

Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts from the bench against the Detroit Pistons in the second half at the Wells Fargo Center on April 10, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Philadelphia 76ers came into the playoffs on the back of a fourth place finish in the NBA Eastern Conference. With the Toronto Raptors in fifth place, both teams were to encounter themselves in the first-round of the playoffs.

Game 1 was a high scoring game with a total of 242 points scored by both teams. 76ers were good for 131 points, taking an early lead in the series with Tyrese Maxey posting a 38-point career-high in the regular season and playoffs.

Game 2 was an Embiid show, with a double-double of 31 points and 11 rebounds to help the 76ers seal a second consecutive win in the series. Tobias Haris also secured a double-double, having recorded 20 points and 10 rebounds. Maxey was on the verge of getting his first career triple-double, having featured for 41 minutes on the court (23/9/8).

The 76ers are one game away from sweeping the Raptors to a 4-0 record in the first-round. With a Game 3 performance of 33 points and 13 rebounds, there's no stopping Joel Embiid as the Raptors have no idea how to contain him. It would come as no surprise if the 76ers close the round out on Saturday, being among the first teams to advance to the semifinals.