Joel Embiid didn't get into basketball until a late age. But even despite the obvious concerns that came with that, some reported character issues, and his injury proneness, he was still considered the best prospect in his class and the third-overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.
It took him a while. We had to wait longer than we wanted before we could watch him on the court. Moreover, it seemed like he could never shake off his injuries and was going to be another injury-riddled 'what if'.
Fast-forward to today and 'The Process' finally looks complete. He's the most dominant big man in the Association and the number-one candidate to win MVP honors. Recently, he explained just why he should get that distinction.
NBA News: Joel Embiid Says The Sixers Need Him To Dominate
“I want to let the game speak for itself," Embiid told Malika Andrews of ESPN. "That’s what I’ve been doing this year. When you look at everything we went through this year, the drama, that was adding a lot to the way we played. Having to take my game to another level, being a better playmaker, and for us to win every single game, I have to be dominant.”
Embiid Admits He Could've Retired Early In His Career
It's crazy to think that none of this could've happened if it wasn't for his resiliency. Per Embiid, he was pretty close to walking away from the game after his brother passed away and he couldn't stay healthy:
"Going back to Cameroon, I really wanted to stop playing basketball and retire, because at that point, you just have surgery and everybody's talking about you're not gonna make it or you never gonna play in the league, and obviously, the loss of my brother was a was big," Embiid told the media, per KYW Newsradio. "I wanted to give up and I almost did."
"Basically you miss two years in a row and all these stories coming out every single day -- Joel is, whatever, 300 pounds -- and the media always talking down on you," the big man added. "It was tough. I had to go through a lot. It was very tough, but, I'm glad I just kept pushing through with the help of everybody around me. I'm just glad. I'm happy to be here."
People often talk about Embiid's character because he's always talking smack and joking around. But this guy has been through hell and back and has never shied away from a battle. That's a true MVP.
