Philadelphia 76ers Media Day | Joel Embiid | 09.26.25

Philadelphia 76ers Media Day | Joel Embiid | 09.26.25

There it is. What’s up, guys? Well, I guess the first question is how are you feeling and when are you going to be playing? whether you’re going to play in training camp or start for the season. What what’s going on with your health? Feel pretty good. Um I think we uh we made a lot of progress over the last couple months. Um we got a plan in place. Um trying to check all the boxes. So, you know, just taking day by day. Uh this is still, you know, kind of like a field per um period where we just, you know, taking it day by day, keep getting stronger. uh keep getting better. Um there’s been few court sessions. Um so you know everything is you know on schedule so but I think you know with the team you know following whatever uh we have planned uh I think you know there’s no there’s no there’s not necessarily an expectation. It’s more about making sure everything is right and doing everything right. And um yeah, and then go from there. Um I I guess like the team has kind of posted pictures and videos of you in the gym over the last couple weeks. What exactly have you been able to do? Have you been able to get in some drills or some live action or anything like that recently? I’ve done a few stuff. Um you know, just you know, just going, you know, like I said, taking it day by day. Um, you know, obviously the goal is, you know, um, to play consistently and, you know, not being in a position that, you know, we were last year. So, whatever that brings me there and whatever the plan is, I think, you know, the focus is on, you know, like just, you know, um, you know, checking all those boxes. Yeah. uh you gave an interview this summer where you talked a lot about the the mental side of the game and the challenges there on top of the the basketball and the health stuff. So I guess just one, how are you doing personally, but also are do you feel like you’re in a better spot right now mind and body in terms of how you feel out there on the floor compared to this time last year? Yeah, obviously the you know uh this time last year I think you know going into training camp um didn’t really know what was possible and what I was going to be able to do which I didn’t end up doing you know much um this time is a different different story um mentally um you know I feel you know I feel better um I got got great people around me uh that’s all that matters so you you know, that keep me up, you know, stay, you know, keep staying positive and obviously it helps that, you know, you’re in a different situation than you were uh a year ago uh at this time uh right before training camp. So, it’s a good start. Um yeah, and we just got to we just got to keep going. Joel, um Joel, uh even um you know, even with you know, if you’re not ready now or today or whenever you’re ready, you know, is it has it just been better for you mentally that you know, you have been able to make some progress and that you’re not in the same spot uh as you were uh last year? And how frustrating was that part for you? And you know, how gratifying is that for you you now that you’re actually making progress? Yeah, I think everybody that knows me knows that I want to play and I want to play, you know, every single game. Um, I just, you know, I’ve been I’ve been pretty unlucky when it comes to that. Um, you know, compared to, you know, most NBA players. Um, so you know that’s you know when you get in the uh to the point where you know I know I miss a lot of games uh you know before last year uh also because of injuries but when you get to the point where I was last year where it was so unpredictable you know he’s u you know it’s you know he sucks he’s uh mentally uh draining u but you know I’ve had so many injuries um the one thing that I’ve always told myself is, you know, you can’t give up. Um, no matter what comes, you just got to, you know, get back up and keep pushing through and, you know, and, um, you know, do the right thing at all times and hope for the best. So, you know, like I said, just, you know, um, a little bit of of a different situation uh, this year. So, I’m excited to keep progressing. Um, you know, I feel feel I feel really good. Um, and you know, I’m on, you know, I’m on pace to, you know, just uh, you know, keep finding myself and being myself. Hey, Joe over here. Um, when you sort of talk about the new plan or this the plan this time around and sort of the boxes that you need to check. um just maybe what are some things that are different about how you will approach just the the coming back process and I guess how confident are you that you guys have found a solution or or or sort of a path forward that’s going to work and and create that consistency that you’re talking about? I think you know like you know I I want to be as honest as as you know as as possible. I think, you know, going forward, you know, we just gonna listen to the body and, you know, I’d be honest and say that, you know, it’s going to be unpredictable at times and that’s okay. Um, and we got to work with that. Uh, you got to take it day by day. Um, you know, uh, and and go from there. So, I think, you know, the only focus that I am is, you know, every single time you know we we on the right path you know keep going and if you know there’s something that happens in you know in that in that time it’s okay you know just you know like focus on you know fixing it and and keep going so that’s my mentality uh I understand the situation that um that I’m in uh and you know it’s just you know um you know taking it day by day and you Just listen to the body. Joel, going back to the ES over here, Joel, going back to that ESPN story for a minute here, that was maybe as as open as you’ve been uh with anyone in your career, I guess. What What motivated you and inspired you to be so open for that? I’m not sure. I think the background of you know uh the story I felt like I wasn’t I didn’t do it to put my story out there. I felt like you know from the first conversation I felt like it was genuine whether it was positive and negative or negative. I felt like, you know, for the first time, you know, it wasn’t about trying to get clicks off me. It wasn’t about trying to find a quote to put it out there that’s going to, you know, make you famous or whatever. I just felt like, you know, I knew what would have come, you know, what was coming with it. Uh, I knew posit could be positive. I knew it could be negative, but I like the indepth uh reporting that was going on and the questions. Uh so from there, um you know, that’s what I like. You know, even talking to you guys like, you know, there’s a few of these guys that I’ve, you know, I’ve known you guys for a long time and you know, I appreciate the work that you guys do and you know, but that’s what I like about it. you know, there’s, you know, and there’s a few of you guys that also, you know, do the terrible job of just, you know, trying to get famous and get the clicks and, you know, trying to pick at, you know, each, you know, some of the quotes or whatever, which is okay. You know, we all have a job to do. Uh, I don’t blame, you know, those people. But then again, there’s, you know, also a few of those guy of you guys that try to do as good of a job as possible and, you know, tell the the whole story. Um, you know, not to try to make me look good or make me look bad, but to report it, you know, the way it is. And, you know, I just I just liked it. I just appreciate it. um you know that you know someone kind of you know and to me when I do this like even talking to you guys I don’t I don’t necessarily have to give it these long answers I could just give a one word answer but to me you know like I always feel like I’m helping you guys and you know if you’re willing to do your job correctly then you know I’m willing to work with it and I’m going to put myself in a position to help you Yeah. So, you know, that’s that’s the way I felt. Hey, Joel. Um, the other thing in the ESPN story was um talked about your relationship with Jamir Nelson and um how he’s kind of helped you. I don’t have a relationship with him. None at all. No. No. I was just curious what he’s kind of meant for you and obviously his experience being a former player, some of the stuff he’s gone through, what just kind of what he’s meant to you being here. Uh J has been great. obviously former player uh is from Philly. Um he’s been you know here for now a few years. Uh he’s done a good job of um you know you know just doing a good job and obviously he got promoted uh now he’s going to have a big part you know kind of like on the team with the players and everything. So I think you know especially as a former player it’s good to you know see you know those guys succeed. Uh but yeah, I think you know, you could relate to him. You know, he played, he knows how he goes. Uh he’s been at this level. Um you know, he’s gone places. Uh so I think, you know, he’s he’s done a great job. Hey Joel, how you doing? Um you just mentioned wanting to have consistency with your health and your availability. Yeah. Have you thought about any ways that you can change the way that you play when you are on the court that can help you preserve that health and and be available more consistently? That’s tough. Um, you know, I uh yeah, I mean, think about it, but then again, you know, at times you can’t get out of yourself. You know, all I know is, you know, ever since I started is to play hard. um play both ends. Uh there’s a lot of people in the league, you know, that play, you know, one side, whether it’s offense and defense. And you know, a lot of times, you know, for me, my mentality is to do whatever it takes to win. And you know, for you know, all of my career actually has been having to do both. Um, you know, there’s some guys that are actually do a lot offensively and, you know, take place off defensively and there’s some guys that are asked to, you know, be the best defenders and, you know, kind of like chill on the corner. Um, but and I don’t blame them. You know, I get, you know, you know, I’ve gotten to this point because of, you know, how good I am on both ends of the floor. Um, so if you ask me to, you know, change the way I play is, you know, the only guess that I have is, you know, either play, you know, offense fully and take plays off defensively, um, which, you know, doesn’t suit me. U, you know, I don’t think I would ever be okay with that. So, I don’t know. I think we we’ll just wait and see. Uh but yeah, he’s he’s I if he’s got to be that way, it’s definitely going to be an adjustment, but I don’t I don’t see that happening. Joe, you might be the only guy in the organization we haven’t talked to about VJ this off season. Obviously, you know, the pressure that comes with being a a top three pick like he is. Uh how much have you talked with him, worked with him, and what have your impressions of him been so far? Oh, I like I like him a lot. Obviously, I’ve talked to him a lot. Um, and you know, even before um even as soon as we drafted him, I just knew I would like him. I like his background. Kind of reminds me of uh myself, you know, coming, you know, coming from another country and, you know, having a lot of hardships uh growing up. Um so and you know and he’s an amazing kid um so far. Uh so yeah but you know it’s been good you know having him around you know talking to him kind of trying to help me. I feel like I’m at a stage of my career where you know obviously I know the job I have to do. uh I still, you know, have to be the guy, but you know, but I’m also at a stage where I can help a lot of, uh, you know, these young, you know, these young players uh that are coming in, whether it’s him, um, you know, uh, Jared or some of the young guys that we’ve had, you know, I’ve been in that situation with Tyrese and I’m extremely uh, happy, uh, and I’m so proud of all the work that he’s put in, uh, to get, you know, to this level. but he still has more to do and he’s going to do more. Um, so you know, I found myself in another situation where there’s a bunch of other young guys and you know, it’s my it’s my job other than, you know, the job that I have to kind of show them the way and you know um for them also to learn from the mistakes that I’ve made uh and you know kind of you know giving them all and you know and let them figure that out to you know live their life and you know uh and you know keep advancing with that career. So, you know, like uh you know, yeah. Tony, last one. Uh Joel, how important in a in a vacuum is this season for you guys as a team? And you know, when you look at this roster, what do you think the ceiling is for the roster? And what do you guys have to do to to actually accomplish that? Um I don’t know. I don’t I don’t I think I’m past the stage of focusing on ceilings. Uh I think for me it’s taking it day by day. Um trying to get better every single day. Um obviously we know that for us is the biggest thing is health. Um that’s that’s really the biggest thing. So you know focus on doing the right things every single day. Um, and you know, on the court, you know, we, you know, we have a have a pretty, you know, pretty I know it’s the same team as last year, but you know, we we got a lot of talent, uh, on the court. So, it’s all about putting it together, but you can’t put it together if you know, everybody’s not on the same page and it’s not healthy. So, you know, the, you know, the main focus is just taking it day by day. Um and um you know and you know just be with each other.

Joel Embiid speaks to the media during the Sixers Media Day.