Sixers' Joel Embiid Turns Focus Away From Solo Accomplishments
Since coming to the NBA, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was overly focused on becoming an All-Star in the league. Once he finally hit the court after healing up from his first major injury, Embiid campaigned hard to earn his first solo accomplishment.
Embiid didn't get his wishes during his debut season. It wasn't until the following year when Embiid earned himself a spot in the big game. Since getting voted in as an All-Star during the 2017-2018 NBA season, Embiid hasn't missed the showcase since.
And at this point, being an NBA All-Star is slightly less important to Embiid than before. Is the big man still motivated enough to think about how much he wants to win other solo awards such as Defensive Player of the Year and MVP? Of course.
But these days, Embiid isn't solely focused on awards. Instead, the Sixers' big man is beginning to realize that winning as a team comes first -- and with that -- the solo accomplishments will then follow.
"When you win, everybody wins -- the first thing is winning," Embiid said on Tuesday on the eve of the Sixers' season-opener. "We gotta be able to go out every single night and do whatever we can to win. Of course, you would like to be Defensive Player of the Year, MVP. I would like to be the same, but none of that is going to happen if we don't win. That's not what we're focused on. We're focused on what we can accomplish as a group."
While Embiid seems willing to make personal sacrifices for the greater good of the Sixers, the big man's selfless approach won't force him to change much. Although he's not obsessing over personal accolades, Embiid will still be the focal point of the Sixers, especially on offense.
As long as Embiid stays focused and takes advantage of the newly built roster around him, which is tailored to fit him better, the Sixers' three-time All-Star should bounce back with a much better season in 2020-2021. And as the team wins rack up, so will Embiid's votes for solo awards.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_
