Doc Rivers Praises Joel Embiid for Being in Great Shape for Training Camp

Years ago, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid found himself garnering heavy criticism regarding his conditioning. As the star center put on weight and struggled to stay in solid shape early on in his career, many believed that was going to play a big part in keeping him from becoming great.

These days, though, that's no longer an issue. Before the start of the 2020-2021 season, Embiid changed his ways off the court. He had a better diet and improved his workout regimen. He hired a massage therapist to ensure his body was right following grueling workouts.

Embiid had a plan of not only being in great shape ahead of the 2020-2021 season, but he also wanted to stay as healthy as possible. While the big man did suffer a couple of injuries, which kept him off the court for chunks at a time, the big man had the best season of his career.

Now, the MVP runner-up is looking to be even better next year. Once again, Embiid focused on staying in shape and keeping his body right. And following the first set of training camp practices, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers praised the All-Star center after seeing early results of his offseason workouts.

"He is in great shape," Rivers said to the media on Wednesday following their second practice. "He's in much better shape, which is great because last year, he took a big step in conditioning, and then this year, he comes, and he's in even better shape."

Embiid's health will be a question mark every season. Being a big-bodied center with a lot of wear and tear, Embiid has proven that staying healthy is an uphill battle. While he can't control injuries, he can undoubtedly control his conditioning, which plays a significant part in keeping him more healthy and allowing him to play at a higher level. It seems he's on the right path to dominating the NBA once again.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.