Joel Embiid arrived in Orlando this summer looking, as ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne so eloquently put it, “absolutely ridiculous.” The Sixers center was spotted boarding the team plane in perhaps the largest hazmat suit ever designed (it would have to be to accommodate Embiid’s enormous seven-foot, 280-pound frame). Embiid’s unusual outfit choice served a dual purpose as both a fashion statement (your move, Westbrook) and a silent protest against the NBA for resuming its season amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The 26-year-old was one of several players including Nets star Kyrie Irving (the de facto ringleader of the Orlando resistance movement) to vote against the NBA’s restart, citing his girlfriend’s pregnancy. “We tried to keep it a secret,” Embiid told Shelburne in a profile posted to ESPN Thursday morning. “It was very hard for me to go. I just wanted to be there with her and for him.”
Embiid eventually relented, joining his teammates in Orlando with one goal in mind—to bring a title back to Philadelphia. “If I didn’t think we had a chance to win, I wouldn’t have gone,” said the Cameroon native. The 76ers weren’t long for the Bubble—Ben Simmons’ knee injury doomed their title chances, resulting in an anticlimactic first-round exit. But even in defeat, Embiid impressed with his conditioning, arriving to Orlando in arguably the best shape of his career.
“I don’t post my workouts,” said Embiid, who has also scaled back his use of social media, where he maintained an active presence early in his career. “I don't need to show off to people, 'Look at me, I'm working out. Look at this picture, this is me working out every single day.”
Embiid named his son Arthur after his younger brother, who was killed six years ago when he was struck by a runaway truck. Along with the motivation that comes from years of playoff heartbreak—the Sixers are still haunted by the memory of Kawhi Leonard’s series winner in 2019—Embiid’s new role as a father has helped him find an extra gear. “Arthur has redefined a purpose for Joel that's bigger than himself,” said Embiid’s longtime trainer Drew Hanlan. “Joel's checked off a lot of the individual accolade boxes—All-Star, All-NBA, et cetera. But to be known as one of the greats, you have to be able to help your team win championships. And he hasn't done that yet."
The University of Kansas alum has looked sharp in the early going for Philadelphia, ranking among the league’s top-five in both scoring (28.3 points per game) and rebounding (13.3 boards per game). The 3-1 Sixers return to the hardwood Thursday night for a New Year’s Eve showdown with the Magic, who hail as the NBA’s last unbeaten team (4-0).
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