Did Joel Embiid Earn LeBron James' Respect With This?

Joel Embiid Goes the Extra Mile to Earn LeBron James’ Approval and Respect

Since winning the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award in 2023, Joel Embiid’s career has taken a bit of a nosedive. While he has remained a very efficient scorer, his persistent injuries have hampered his ability to stay on the court. In the last three years, out of a possible 246 games, Embiid has only managed to play 96. 

Injuries have become a recurring theme for the Cameroonian-born big man throughout his basketball career. He missed his first two years in Philadelphia because of a fracture in the navicular bone of his right foot. 

When Embiid finally debuted for the team, he played only 31 games during his rookie season. Then his knees began to cause significant problems as his career progressed. While he was a force whenever he was on the court, the Sixers have suffered whenever he’s out for an extended period.

But with Philly’s revamped roster, Joel Embiid has taken a new approach to his body in the hopes of staying injury-free.

Joel Embiid Reportedly Down To His Rookie Year Weight

For most of Embiid’s time as a Sixer, his weight was officially listed between 270 and 280 pounds. At 7-foot-2, that’s hard to sustain on a nightly basis, even for an elite athlete like him. The most logical thing to do is for him to slim down a bit. And that’s exactly what Joel Embiid did ahead of the 2026-2027 season.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne has reported that Embiid is now down to his rookie weight, around 250 pounds. It’s further stated that the Sixers’ superstar has done this solely to earn LeBron James’ approval and respect.