Joel Embiid won’t be on the floor when the Philadelphia 76ers open their preseason Monday night against the defending NBA champion New York Knicks.
But hours before tipoff, Philadelphia received another encouraging sign about the former MVP’s physical condition.
ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reported Monday on “NBA Today” that Embiid has slimmed down to his rookie weight following an offseason in which the 32-year-old finally had an opportunity to focus on training instead of rehabilitation.
“I’ve been hearing, you know, Embiid’s getting to the gym early,” Shelburne said. “He’s down to his rookie weight. Like, this is a new Joel.”
Embiid was listed at 250 pounds coming out of Kansas before Philadelphia selected him with the No. 3 pick in the 2014 NBA draft. His current NBA profile lists him at 270 pounds.
If Shelburne’s reporting is accurate, that would represent a significant physical transformation for a player whose health and conditioning have long been intertwined with Philadelphia’s championship hopes.
Joel Embiid’s Transformation Comes With LeBron James Effect
Shelburne connected Embiid’s renewed approach to the arrival of LeBron James, suggesting the future Hall of Famer has already changed the atmosphere around the Sixers.
James, she explained, doesn’t only raise the ceiling for role players. His presence can have a similar effect on established stars who want to earn his respect.
“Everybody’s trying to kind of earn LeBron’s approval and respect,” Shelburne said. “I think there’s an interesting quality to this now in Philly.”
She compared it to what she witnessed after Anthony Davis joined James with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Davis appeared motivated to impress his new superstar teammate, Shelburne recalled, and their first full season together ended with the Lakers winning the 2020 NBA championship.
“There was a tide lift amongst the stars too with the LeBron James effect,” Shelburne said.
Philadelphia can only hope history rhymes.
76ers Taking Cautious Approach With Slimmer Embiid
The timing of Shelburne’s report is notable.
Embiid will sit out Monday’s preseason opener against the defending champion Knicks at Xfinity Mobile Arena. His absence is officially being designated as rest as Philadelphia carefully manages his workload before the games begin to count.
Embiid is hardly alone. LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, Anfernee Simons, Dominick Barlow, Adem Bona and Tacko Fall also will not play Monday.
The Sixers’ decision to sit Embiid shouldn’t overshadow the encouraging signs from camp.
He participated in Saturday’s Blue x White Scrimmage and moved well alongside James, Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe, offering Philadelphia its first public glimpse of a star-heavy lineup with championship expectations.
Embiid also arrived at media day noticeably slimmer after spending much of the offseason training rather than recovering from another procedure.
Now Shelburne has put a striking detail behind the transformation: Embiid is reportedly back around the weight he carried when he first entered the NBA.
Philadelphia isn’t asking him to prove anything in a preseason game Monday night.
The more important test will come months from now.
For a Sixers team built to play deep into the spring, getting a lighter, healthier and seemingly reinvigorated Embiid there is the priority.
76ers Get Eye-Opening Joel Embiid News Before Knicks Game