Joel Embiid Recreates Allen Iverson's Slam Magazine Cover

Philadelphia 76ers fans won't get to see Joel Embiid play again this season, so they will have to settle for the injured big man's re-enactment of Allen Iverson's iconic "Soul on Ice" Slam magazine cover from 1999.

They might have trusted The Process too much, as the center was recently ruled out for the remainder of the season with a knee injury. Slam editor-in-chief Adam Figman acknowledged the misfortune:

"

I know, I know: Rough timing. Hey, it happens. You come up with a great idea, you execute it as well as you could possibly hope to (thank you, Sixers PR) and sometime between the magazine getting shipped off to the printer and the thing hitting newsstands you learn that your new cover star has been declared out for the season with a torn meniscus. Yikes.

"

Nevertheless, the magazine's cover pays homage to a 76ers great who graced the front page early in his Hall of Fame career. Here's the source material:

Embiid even donned Iverson's No. 3 jersey during a short behind-the-scenes look at the photo shoot:

Since the enigmatic center played just 31 games, it's tough to trust the cover's claim that he's a lock to win Rookie of the Year. Yet Embiid made such a memorable mark (20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks per game) in limited minutes that the honor is still on the table.

[Slam]