Joel Embiid shows off weight loss, tells reporters he will do ‘whatever it takes’ to be healthy in the playoffs

At the Philadelphia 76ers’ media day on Monday, Joel Embiid set the tone for the upcoming season by making one thing clear: individual accolades mean absolutely nothing.

Joel Embiid, the 2022-23 MVP, seven-time All-Star, and two-time scoring champion is completely focused on the 76ers as a team and remaining healthy throughout the regular season so that finally, he can be ready to go in the playoffs.

Why this is the year Embiid decided to make it known that he’s not focused on individual accolades while focusing on dropping weight and being healthy in the playoffs is certainly a valid follow up question but at the same time, all of that is pretty meaningless at this point.

I’m just happy to hear he’s locked in and ready to roll this season alongside Tyrese Maxey and Paul George this season. The new-look Big 3 should easily be a top 2-3 team in the East and contending for a championship.

FIRST LOOK AT 76ERS BIG THREE 🚨🤯

How far is this squad going? 👀 pic.twitter.com/ilX4iDbjQ5

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 30, 2024

One of the key talking points was Joel Embiid’s significant weight loss over the offseason. According to Embiid he lost 25-30 pounds over the summer and just looking at him, you can tell there’s been a significant change to his body.

The change is in effort to enhancing his health and durability, which in return, will aid him in remaining healthy throughout the regular season and playoffs.

While he played through all six games during last season’s first-round playoff exit against the New York Knicks, the big man has faced his fair share of injury setbacks in the postseason.

In fact, he’s missed at least one playoff game due to injury in five of the last seven years.

Joel Embiid lost 25-20 pounds this offseason:

Joel Embiid says he lost about 25 to 30 pounds this offseason:

“I still got a ways to go, still want to lose more…We got to do whatever it takes to make sure that in the postseason I am healthy. There’s no agenda, no All-Star, no All-NBA.” pic.twitter.com/23IOnQNu0m

— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) September 30, 2024

To put that into perspective, Embiid has suited up for 59 playoff games with the Sixers out of a possible 67. His injury woes include missing the first two games of the 2018 playoff series against the Miami Heat and Game 3 of the 2019 matchup against the Brooklyn Nets.

More recently, he was sidelined for Game 5 of the 2021 first-round series against the Washington Wizards and the first two games of the 2022 conference semifinals against the Heat.

As Embiid embarks on this season, his shift in focus from personal accolades to team success is evident. With a healthier body and a renewed mindset, he’s ready to lead the charge for the Sixers in their never-ending quest for an NBA championship.

Fans and teammates alike will be eager to see if this commitment to health and team play translates into playoff success this time around. The stakes are high, and Embiid is determined to rise to the occasion.

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