76ers center Joel Embiid showed in the first game of his career why his NBA debut was so highly anticipated

Chris Szagola/AP

Tuesday night marked the first game of Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid's NBA career, and it got off to a good start.

Embiid was the third pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, but missed the first two seasons of his career with injuries. He hadn't played an organized basketball game since March of 2014, when he was a freshman at Kansas University.

In his first preseason game, playing with a minutes restriction, Embiid got right to work. Though he missed his first three shots, he settled down and began to show his tantalizing potential.

A nice, smooth post-up for a fade-away:

A spot-up jumper from three-point territory:

And a big block at the rim, showing off his quick feet and timing:

A 7-footer who can post up, step outside to hit jumpers, and defend the rim? Worth the wait.

It's only one preseason game, and the key for Embiid will be staying healthy and not forcing the action. But after two years of inactivity, the 76ers couldn't ask for a better start.