Joel Embiid has put the Philadelphia 76ers on his back and been recognized as an all-around player worthy of MVP consideration, but he was on the verge of leaving the NBA in 2014.
Joel Embiid, the Sixers’ big man, is able to shine like he hasn’t in years. There are a number of reasons for this—he watched his tape to grow as an all-around player, the dust has settled with Ben Simmons, and he ruled the pick-and-roll alongside James Harden—but what sticks out the most is where Embiid has taken the 76ers over the course of a season.
The 76ers are in the midst of the Eastern Conference race, sitting third with a 46-29 record. Embiid’s ability to cover in for Simmons’ absence, as well as Tyrese Maxey, Matisse Thybulle, and Tobias Harris’ contributions, was impressive.
That’s why it’s even more surprising that Embiid considered early retirement eight years ago.
When his 13-year-old brother, Arthur, was killed by a runaway truck that slammed into a Cameroonian schoolyard, Embiid was mending a shattered foot after the 76ers chose him.
After an injury and a personal tragedy, Embiid thought about quitting the NBA and going back to Cameroon.
“I was in a dark place,” Embiid told Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix. “At that time, every single day, all the stories were pouring out.” Oh, Joel, he refuses to work.’ He’s flopped. He’ll never be able to play.”
There was a lot of nasty stuff going on. Then you throw in my loss. ” Embiid’s voice fades out. He claims that “people don’t comprehend the human side of everything.” However, I never moan about it. We have a substantial profit margin. It comes with [criticism]. “
In the midst of injuries, sorrow, and criticism, Joel Embiid considered retiring
Perhaps Embiid is saying more about this now that his MVP season has placed those early-career sentiments into perspective. In an interview with KYW Radio in Philadelphia in February, Embiid acknowledged that he “wanted to quit” before his NBA career began.
When I got back to Cameroon, I really wanted to stop playing basketball and retire, because you’ve just had surgery and everyone’s telling you that you’re not going to make it or that you’ll never play in the NBA, and obviously, the loss of my brother was a significant deal. “I almost gave up because I wanted to,” Embiid said.
Since then, Embiid has been a believer in “trusting the process,” waiting for his chance to grow as a player and take over the team when Simmons went away. Mannix’s profile shows how far Embiid has come and all he has gone through to get to where he is now.
