Joel Embiid has put the Philadelphia 76ers on his back and earned MVP-caliber recognition as an all-around player—but he nearly left the NBA back in 2014.
Sixers big man Joel Embiid is being able to shine in a way he hasn’t for years. There are various factors
he’s watched tape to improve as an all-around player, the dust has settled with Ben Simmons, he dominated the pick-and-roll alongside James Harden
The 76ers are in the thick of a race at the top of the Eastern Conference, ranking No. 3 with a 46-29 record
Embiid’s ability to fill in the space of Simmons’ absence, alongside the contributions of Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle and Tobias
Harris.That’s what makes it all the more shocking that eight years ago, Embiid contemplated an early retirement.
Perhaps Embiid is speaking on this more lately as his MVP season puts those early-career thoughts into perspective
Speaking with Philadelphia’s KYW Radio in February, Embiid admitted that he “wanted to give up” before his NBA career truly began.
“Going back to Cameroon, I really wanted to stop playing basketball and really retire, because at that point, you just have surgery and everybody’s talking about you’re not gonna make it
Since then, Embiid has been one to “trust the process”, waiting for his opportunity to develop as a player and take the reins when Simmons stepped away from his team.