Joel Embiid’s well being considerations began earlier than he even obtained within the NBA. Throughout his pre-draft course of in 2014, Embiid suffered a foot harm, which brought on his draft inventory to take a slight hit forward of his massive night time.
Embiid rapidly went from being the projected first-overall decide that might assist a aggressive staff win straight away to changing into the third-overall decide on a Philadelphia 76ers staff that was clearly tanking.
Going to the Sixers helped Embiid recuperate with out being pressured to take the ground as quickly as potential and begin contributing to fast wins. However Embiid’s restoration course of took rather a lot longer than anticipated as setbacks piled on.
Regardless of getting drafted in 2014, Embiid did not make his debut till the 2016-2017 season. And after he appeared in 31 video games, the Sixers massive man suffered one other setback that ended his season prematurely.
Whereas Embiid performed in over 60 video games in every of the following two seasons, he nonetheless missed chunks of video games on account of setbacks. And in every of the final two seasons, Embiid appeared in 51 video games as accidents piled on as soon as once more.
Recently, Embiid’s been placing an emphasis on staying wholesome and out there for his staff through the common season. Subsequently, the star heart has made a complete change to his off-court routine and strategy to the sport.
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Whereas Embiid made the massive change final 12 months — it did not precisely repay the best way he wished it to as he suffered a number of knee accidents and a again harm. Nevertheless, this season, Embiid’s on tempo to play in probably the most regular-season video games in his profession.
With simply 13 video games left to go, Embiid clocked in for 57 matchups this 12 months. Outdoors of a battle with COVID-19 again in November, the massive man hasn’t missed a number of video games in a row. Embiid understands that he may have to take a sport off or two down the stretch to make sure he is recent for the playoffs, however the five-time All-Star is motivated to maintain the ball rolling as he alters the narrative about his well being.
“I’m aggressive, I received’t lie,” mentioned Embiid. “I see all the things and that’s at all times been the knock on me though that was actually my first three years and all the things that has occurred since I’ve been wholesome and have by no means missed greater than two weeks with one thing, in order that’s the narrative.”
Gamers do not sometimes like damaging narratives positioned on them — however Embiid has turned the damaging into a chance to inspire himself to reverse everyone’s perception that he cannot keep wholesome and play virtually a full season.
“I just like the problem,” he continued. “In order that’s one thing that I take into consideration rather a lot and I like proving individuals flawed so it goes into my thought course of after I take into consideration all of that stuff.” When the Sixers take the court docket on Sunday night time to face the Toronto Raptors, Embiid might play in his twentieth straight sport.
However the massive man additionally understands that he is sure to overlook at the very least one sport quickly no matter his well being state of affairs.
“My purpose is finally to win a championship and to be prepared for the playoffs and to be at my greatest in order that type of overrules all the things,” the massive man completed. “So the final couple of video games, no matter is greatest for me to be 100-percent going into the playoffs that’s what I’m going to do.”
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports activities Illustrated. You may comply with him for reside updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
