The NBA 2014 Draft is touted to be the best in a decade. The Big Three of Jabari Parker, Julius Randle and Andrew Wiggins in any order may be upstaged by a dark horse: Joel Embiid.

Joel Embiid was a Kansas Jayhawks commit even before Andrew Wiggins made his much awaited decision. Embiid was determined to mark his territory, not easily conceding top Jayhawk status to Maple Jordan.

Draft Express has the stats on Joel Embiid: "The Cameroonian 7-footer is posting 18.5 points per-40 minutes on terrific efficiency (69% 2P%), while adding 12.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.1 steals and 4.5 blocks."

Embiid has a lot of potential, and scouts are placing him at the top in terms of 'upside' or the potential to become better than what he is now. The games of the Big Three, especially Parker and Randle are pretty much set. Sky's the limit with Embiid, who has only played organized basketball for less than two years.

His story was recounted by Jason King of Bleacher Report:

"The first time Kansas center Joel Embiid played basketball on U.S. soil, his high school teammates laughed.

"Fresh off a plane from the African country of Cameroon, Embiid had arrived at Montverde Academy-a prep school in Florida-knowing little English and even less about basketball. As a child, he had focused on volleyball and soccer.

Still, at 6'9", with the wingspan of a pterodactyl and the footwork of a ballet dancer, it was obvious to coach Kevin Boyle that he had landed a treasure in the 16-year-old Embiid-no matter how awkward he appeared in his first informal practice at the school.

Embiid had a good life in Cameroon, where he excelled academically and was a standout midfielder on the soccer field and an imposing presence on the volleyball court. Thomas and Christine Embiid, who have been married 21 years, kept a close watch on their son, rarely letting Joel leave the house unless it was for school or athletics."

Because of the similarity of background, Embiid was being compared to Hakeem Olajuwon, probably the greatest center to play the game. Olajuwon was 15 years old when he went to the US from his native Nigeria, where he used to play soccer as a child.

Kansas coach Bill Self agrees with the comparison. From Kansascity.com: "A young Hakeem Olajuwon. There's no question he's better than anybody thought."