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Sixers' Embiid said camp went 'great'

GALLOWAY, N.J. - Joel Embiid said everything felt great during his first training camp with the 76ers. His body felt great as did his long-awaited training camp experience.

GALLOWAY, N.J. - Joel Embiid said everything felt great during his first training camp with the 76ers.

His body felt great as did his long-awaited training camp experience.

"I didn't practice yesterday," he said Friday as the team wrapped its four-day camp at Stockton University. "They had me take the day off, but other than that it went great. I went through the whole practice today, two days ago and the first day."

The Sixers aren't trying to overload the third overall pick of the 2014 draft. That's because he hasn't played since he was a Kansas freshman on March 1, 2014, at Oklahoma State University. He missed the last two seasons due to surgery in each of the last two summers to repair the navicular bone in his right foot.

As expected, the 7-foot-2, 276-pounder was rusty in his first scrimmages early in the week. However, he looked better on Friday.

Embiid said he's getting his feel for the game back each time he is on the court.

"Today was a good day, especially going against [Jahlil Okafor]," he said of his first time squaring-up against the 6-11, 265-pounder. "It went really great. It makes me elevate my game."

The training camp matchup against Okafor was what Embiid needed. Okafor is similar to his size, and the two got physical in the post.

"I feel like nobody wants to post up against me," Embiid said. "I'm trying to work on my defense in the post, and that's what I did today.

"He's a tough guy to guard, and we went at it."

Embiid and Okafor will both play in Tuesday's preseason matchup with Boston at the University of Massachusetts.

.Okafor missed scrimmages on Wednesday and Thursday due to soreness in his right knee after Tuesday's workouts. Okafor is getting back in the groove after having season-ending surgery on March 22 to repair the meniscus in his right knee. The injury cost the NBA all-rookie selection the final 23 games of the season. A CAT scan on March 8 revealed the tear.

Henderson looks to lead

Gerald Henderson Jr. see his leadership role with the Sixers similar to the one he had last season with Portland.

The Blazers "weren't as young," he said, "but being one of the guys with more experience, you are put in a position to help the younger guys. Teach them what you know, how to be a pro. Different things like that."

That's something that the 28-year-old shooting guard is looking forward to doing with his hometown team.

So the only difference might be that the 6-foot-5, 215-pounder will wear a different jersey number. The eighth-year veteran is switching from No. 9 to No. 12 this season.

New boss

The Sixers have hired Juan Jackson as their director of security. He replaces Lance Williams, who was let go in July. Jackson was the director of security for Atlanta last season.