Joel Embiid’s Bell’s Palsy Battle Described By Nicolas Batum

NBA fans have always been high on the ability and skill level of Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. As a 19-year-old in Kansas University alongside Andrew Wiggins, he proved he could be a great NBA center. Injuries caused him to miss all of his first two seasons and most of his third. But Embiid stayed undaunted. He worked on his game and his recovery before giving NBA fans seven straight seasons of dazzling play.

Joel Embiid, during his peak between 2020 and 2024, was a true candidate to be known as the best player in the world. There is not a single thing on the basketball court that Embiid hasn’t proven to be capable of doing. He was always a dominant scorer, but he became a better finisher near the rim over the years. He also built his elbow jumper and his post game brick by brick, till it became unguardable for any player.

Over the past five seasons, Embiid has shown one of the highest and most diverse scoring skillsets we have ever seen. He won the scoring title and the MVP trophy in 2022-23, yet leveled up in 2023-24. Before another injury was added to his long list, Joel Embiid gave the belt treatment to young stud Victor Wembanyama. The reigning MVP dropped a whopping 70 points on his head as a rookie in 2023-24.

His passing also became better than it had ever been. And after his comeback late in the season, the Sixers were expected to take care of the New York Knicks in the first round. However, disaster struck as Embiid went down with Bell’s Palsy at the worst possible time for the Sixers. He decided to play through the debilitating pain, showing his MVP-level scoring while also anchoring the 76ers defense with his verve.

Yet, teammate Nicolas Batum couldn’t believe what he was seeing Embiid put himself through in the process. The French national basketball captain revealed later on:

I was sitting next to him in the locker room. I saw his knee before every game, after every game. I saw his knee. I have no idea how he could even walk.

Joel Embiid may never be the player that he once was, even if he comes back next year

Joel Embiid was visibly uncomfortable for months after trying to play against the Knicks in last year’s playoffs. He was a doubt to make the cut for Team USA’s Olympics roster, and in hindsight, he should not have played in Paris. Yet, he was instrumental in the team’s semifinal comeback against Serbia before a gold winning performance against Nicolas Batum and his France team, who made it to the second straight gold medal game.