Motivated by Joel Embiid, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot Became a ‘keeper' for Sixers

When the Sixers drafted Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot with the 24th overall pick in 2016, there was some confusion.

For months leading up to the draft, the experts left the "Cabarrot" off his scouting profiles. Then, commissioner Adam Silver announced his full name on draft night. The confusion didn't stop Luwawu-Cabarrot from having a productive rookie season with the Sixers.

But things came along slowly for the 22-year-old Frenchman. He barely saw the court for the first 30 games of the season. He even played three games in Delaware with the Sixers' D-League affiliate. He took a lesson from one of his new teammates, Joel Embiid.

"Patience," Luwawu-Cabarrot said when asked what he learned from Embiid. "He was out for two years, he came back strong. He was working. That's respectable. He was out for two years and then when he came back, he was strong. He was ready."

Still, this wasn't entirely new to Luwawu-Cabarrot. As a young professional player, he barely saw the court in the French LNB League, spending most of his time in the B league. It was in the Adriatic League with Mega Leks in the team's up-tempo offense that Luwawu-Cabarrot's athleticism came through and got him noticed by NBA teams.

The Sixers think they may have gotten a steal at No. 24.

"Look at Timothe [Luwawu-Cabarrot's] stats after the All-Star break and the minutes that he had and the volume of points that he was able to score after that experience," head coach Brett Brown said, after referring to the young swingman as a "keeper."

"We had a young player in Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot who came on and really established himself as a factor," president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said.

The Sixers were hit with a rash of injuries which forced Luwawu-Cabarrot into action. By Game 65, he became a fixture in Brett Brown's starting lineup. And Luwawu-Cabarrot was ready.

Over the last seven games of the season, Luwawu-Cabarrot began to look like a "keeper" for the Sixers. He averaged 18.4 points and 1.7 steals a game, showing off his slashing ability on offense and his quickness and length on defense.

"[Luwawu-Cabarrot] really kind of grew up in front of our eyes these last couple months," veteran guard Gerald Henderson said. "He's got a great work ethic and he's a good kid so he's got a chance to be a really, really good player."

The biggest focus for Luwawu-Cabarrot in the offseason will be his jump shot. He made just 31 percent from three this season. Even during his late-season surge, he shot treys at just 32 percent.

He did however shoot 94 percent from the free throw line, taking almost five attempts a game from the charity stripe. That percentage leads you to believe there is a base to make Luwawu-Cabarrot a solid jump shooter. The attempts show his willingness and ability to get into the lane.

An improved jump shot will help him mesh with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, which Luwawu-Cabarrot knows will lead to consistent minutes next season.

"Ben and Joel, obviously they're going to have the ball a lot," Luwawu-Cabarrot said. "So I have to work and be consistent with my shot and to able to knock it down when I get it. That's what [the coaching staff] asked me to work on."

If he can improve in that area, everyone will know the name Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot next season.