Joel Embiid speaks at Media Day | Philadelphia 76ers Presser
Well, I guess the first question is how are you feeling and when are you going to be playing whether you play in training camp or start for the season? What’s going on with your health? Feel pretty good. Um, I think we uh 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 a you know kind of like a fill per um period where we just you know taking day by day keep getting stronger uh keep getting better um there’s been few core 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 frame uh I think you know there’s no there’s There’s no there’s not necessarily an expectation. It’s more about making sure everything is right and doing everything right and u yeah and then go from there. Hey Joe. Um I I guess like 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, 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 say, taking it day by day. Uh, you know, obviously the goal is, you know, um, to play consistently and, you know, not be in the position that, you know, we were last year. So whatever that brings you 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. Hey Jeff 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 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, uh 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 know they 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 um a year ago um at this time right before training came. So, it’s a good start. Uh 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, you know, I’ve been I’ve been pretty unlucky when it comes to that. Um, you know, compared to, you know, most second year players. playing. So, you know, that’s, you know, when you get the uh to the point where, you know, I know I missed a lot of games um you know, before last year uh also because of injuries, but when you get to the point where I was last year where he was so predictable, you know, he’s uh you know, he’s you know, he sucks. He’s uh mentally uh draining. Um but, you know, I’ve had so many injuries. Uh 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 uh you know, do the right thing at all times and hope for the best. So, you know, like I said, just know u 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 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 all 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. Um, 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 have 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 uh that I’m in uh and you know it’s just you know um you know taking day by day and you know just listen to the ball. 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? 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. 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, 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 have, 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, 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 a terrible job of just, you know, trying to get things and get the clicks and, you know, trying to pick at, you know, each, you know, some of the coast 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. U 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 you’ve been talking to you guys I don’t I don’t necessarily have to give this long answer 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 So, you know, that’s that’s the way I felt. Hey, Joel. Um, the other thing in the ESPN story was uh talked about your relationship with Jamir Nelson and um how he’s kind of helped you. I don’t have a relationship. None of it. I was 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 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 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 can 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 he’s done a great job. Three more. We’ll go with Adam. Kyle, you’re with them? Yes. Okay, Kyle. 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 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. Uh, 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 actually, you know, be the best defenders and, you know, kind of like chill in 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, offensively 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 mean, if if it’s got to be that way, it’s definitely gonna 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. How much have you talked with him, worked with him, and what have your impressions at him been so far? Oh, I like I like him a lot. Obviously, I’ve talked to him a lot and you know, even before um like 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 growing up. Um so, and you know, and he’s an amazing kid u 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 in 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’t help a lot of, uh, you know, this young, you know, these young players, uh, that are coming there, whether it’s him, um, you know, uh, Jared or some of the young guys that we’ve had, you know, being in that situation with Tyrese, and I’m extremely, uh, happy 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, let them figure out how to you know, live their life and you know, uh, and you know, keep advancing with that career. So, you know, like God, 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. Um 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. Thank
Joel Embiid spoke to the media for the annual NBA Media Day.
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