76ers' Joel Embiid Jokes About Weight Gain Following Return

Joel Embiid discussed getting ready to play games after the Philadelphia 76ers' recent win.

Jan 25, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on in the / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

One of the biggest stories in the NBA this week was the return of Joel Embiid. After being sidelined with a knee injury since January 30th, the reigning MVP was back in action against the OKC Thunder.

With their star player back in the lineup, the Sixers were able to hold on and beat the shorthanded Thunder 109-105. Embiid ended up playing 29 minutes in his first game back, and did a little bit of everything. He finished with a stat line of 24 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and three steals.

Being out for so long, the main thing many were curious to see from Embiid was where he was at physically. While he certainly looked fatigued at times, the All-Star center appears to be in relatively good shape.

During his media availability postgame, Embiid was asked about where he feels he’s at from a physical standpoint. In typical fashion, he decided to have some fun with the situation. Embiid jokingly said that he gained 50 pounds while he was out, and even went as far as to call himself fat.

“I gained 50 pounds,” Embiid said jokingly. “I gained a lot of weight, so I’m pretty fat right now, but it’s okay. I’ll get back to myself. My face still looks skinny.”

On a slightly more serious note, Embiid elaborated on his journey getting back into game shape.

“It’s hard," he added. "Any time you’re not playing, it’s impossible to get in shape. It doesn’t matter what you do. I’ve done stuff the last three days … I thought there was a chance I could do better and then you get in the game and it’s totally different. That’s the best way to get in shape. That’s how I’ve always done it. I’m excited to keep pushing myself and hopefully I get to where I want to be.”

Embiid returned to action on Thursday night against the Miami Heat. He looked slightly better as he posted 29 points, four rebounds, and three assists in 33 minutes of action. For the second game in a row, the Sixers picked up a victory.

Embiid’s return is great news for the Sixers, but they have minimal time to get themselves acclimated before the postseason gets set to begin. After the matchups with OKC and Miami, they have only five games remaining on the schedule. All of these games are crucial as the Sixers still find themselves battling for playoff positioning in the final two weeks of the year.

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