Joel Embiid says the 76ers have a “chance to win it all” and he expects to be in the best shape of his career to try and make it happen.
Embiid said Monday at the team’s media day that he lost 20 pounds over the offseason and is shooting for at least five more before opening night by eating right and working with team officials to get in better condition. Embiid didn’t say how much he weighs but is listed as 250 pounds on the depth chart.
Embiid has been hampered by injuries for most of his career and was hindered by illness and knee injuries during last season’s playoff run. He says “if everything goes right,” he’ll play more than the 64 games of a year ago.
The center says he has “been extremely focused on what I have to do. I still have a long way to go. I’m not at my goal yet.”
Embiid says his life so far has “been like a movie” and the perfect ending would be an NBA championship.
He averaged 27.5 points and 13.6 rebounds to help take the Sixers to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. Embiid says he has trust in 76ers general manager Elton Brand and that former GM Bryan Colangelo “wasn’t all that.
