Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has lost 13 to 14 kilograms this offseason, with the main goal of staying in shape and avoiding injury in the quest to compete in the NBA playoffs next season.
The 29-year-old basketball player emphasized that this season his focus is no longer on individual awards, but on getting through his first playoffs without injury.
“I still have a long way to go. I want to lose more weight, but this is a process,” said Embiid, quoted by ESPN.
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“As soon as we lost last year, I immediately texted Daryl Morey (76ers President of Basketball Operations) and said, ‘We have to do whatever it takes to get me healthy for the postseason,'” he continued.
Throughout his career with the Sixers, Embiid has won various awards such as MVP, seven times NBA All-Star, and five times All-NBA.
However, one thing that always hinders him and his team is the injuries that haunt them in every playoff and hamper their journey to winning the title.
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Last season, Embiid came close to the NBA history record by almost becoming the second player after Wilt Chamberlain to score more points than minutes played.
However, a knee injury limited his appearances to just 39 games, and he was out of shape when the Sixers lost to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
Now, after helping the United States (US) National Basketball Team win a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Embiid is back in better physical condition and focused on greater achievements in the playoffs.
“There is no individual agenda, no All-Star, no All-NBA,” said Embiid. “It’s all about making sure I’m ready for the playoffs because almost every year I get injured in the playoffs.”
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With the new season set to begin on Oct. 23 against the Milwaukee Bucks, the Sixers plan to gradually improve Embiid’s physical condition during training camp in the Bahamas this week.
The goal is for Embiid to be ready for the regular season, and more importantly to maintain his fitness for the playoffs.
76ers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey, emphasized that team management will be very careful in managing Embiid’s fitness
all season.
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“We’re very focused on April, May and June,” Morey said.
“We will carefully manage how he experiences this season, while keeping the level of play high,” he added.
Apart from that, the Sixers also strengthened their roster by recruiting Paul George, a player who was selected as an NBA All-Star nine times, to help build a championship squad. (Ant/Z-1)
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