Joel Embiid shows slimmer media day frame
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid appeared lean at the team’s September 28, 2026, media day. Asked about his offseason, Embiid joked that he gained weight before saying he felt good.
Embiid offered few details about his offseason work, while his current NBA profile lists him at 7 feet and 270 pounds. Philadelphia’s roster also lists the 32-year-old center at 270.
Joel Embiid puts availability in focus
Embiid’s slimmer appearance stood out because availability has defined recent seasons. NBA data shows he played in only 42% of Philadelphia’s games across the previous three years, making durability central.
The 32-year-old said Philadelphia has a plan designed to keep him healthy and build toward spring. Embiid added that he wants to play as much as possible while peaking by May.
Joel Embiid played 38 regular season games
Embiid appeared in 38 regular-season games from 2025 to 2026. He averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while playing 31.6 minutes per game for Philadelphia that season overall.
Embiid then played 7 postseason games, averaging 24.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.4 assists. Philadelphia eliminated Boston in 7 games before New York swept the Sixers in the conference semifinals.
Joel Embiid had surgery in 2025
Embiid’s 2024 to 2025 season ended after 19 appearances because of problems with his left knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery in April 2025 as Philadelphia continued managing his recovery process.
He averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists during those 19 games. The limited season followed his 39-game 2023 to 2024 campaign, extending Philadelphia’s concerns about his availability.
Joel Embiid still produced elite numbers
Embiid’s 2023 to 2024 season showed how productive he remained when available. He averaged 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists across 39 games while shooting 52.9% from the field.
That scoring average would have led the NBA, but Embiid did not meet the league’s minimum games requirement. His production still showed Philadelphia the offensive level it hoped to preserve.
Joel Embiid owns an MVP résumé
Embiid won the 2023 NBA Most Valuable Player award after averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He has earned 7 All-Star selections and 5 All-NBA honors in his career.
Philadelphia’s player profile lists career averages of 27.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists. Embiid has started every regular-season game played since making his NBA debut in October 2016.
Joel Embiid gets LeBron James support
Philadelphia changed Embiid’s supporting cast during the 2026 offseason. LeBron James joined the Sixers in July, giving the roster another primary creator and veteran scorer alongside Embiid, Maxey, and Edgecombe.
James averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists, and 6.1 rebounds during the 2025 to 2026 season with Los Angeles. His arrival gives Philadelphia another experienced ball handler who can organize the offense.
Joel Embiid also gains Jaylen Brown
Philadelphia acquired Jaylen Brown from Boston on July 6, 2026, in exchange for Paul George and four draft picks. Brown joined Embiid, LeBron James, Tyrese Maxey, and guard VJ Edgecombe.
Brown averaged career highs of 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 5.1 assists during 2025 to 2026. The 5-time All-Star gives Philadelphia another established scorer alongside returning offensive leaders.
Joel Embiid shares offense with Maxey
Tyrese Maxey remains central to Philadelphia’s offense after averaging 28.3 points, 6.6 assists, and 4.1 rebounds during 2025 to 2026. He enters another season alongside Embiid and key veteran additions.
VJ Edgecombe enters his second NBA season after Philadelphia selected him No. 3 in the 2025 draft. The guard started all 75 regular-season games he played as a rookie, averaging 16.0 points.
Joel Embiid returns after playoff run
Philadelphia finished the 2025 to 2026 regular season at 45-37 and entered the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 7 seed. The Sixers defeated Boston 4-3 in the opening round.
New York then swept Philadelphia 4-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The Sixers added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown during the offseason to a roster that already featured Embiid, Maxey, and Edgecombe.
Fun fact: Embiid did not start playing basketball until age 16. Before that, the future NBA MVP spent most of his time playing soccer and volleyball.
Joel Embiid opens against champion Knicks
Philadelphia opens the 2026-27 regular season on October 20 at Madison Square Garden. Defending champion New York will raise its 2025-26 championship banner before hosting Philadelphia.
The nationally televised opener will mark the regular-season Philadelphia debuts of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. The Sixers then host Cleveland on October 22 before home games against Milwaukee and Detroit during opening week.
Joel Embiid has no public loss total
Embiid’s current NBA profile lists him at 270 pounds, while Philadelphia’s 2025 to 2026 roster lists him at 280 pounds. He did not announce an exact weight-loss figure at media day.
Embiid instead joked that he had gained weight while saying he felt good. His current official listing shows a 10-pound difference from last season’s roster weight, without any summer loss noted.
Curious how another standout rookie measured against Clark? Explore how Olivia Miles’ record-breaking rookie year compares with Caitlin Clark’s.
Joel Embiid targets spring form
Embiid said Philadelphia wants to build his workload so he can reach his best form in April and May. He also said he wants to play as much as possible within that plan.
Philadelphia begins its preseason on October 5 against New York at Xfinity Mobile Arena. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET before the Sixers continue preseason play at Brooklyn on October 8.
Curious how another NBA star handled a noticeable physical transformation? Explore why Karl-Anthony Towns said his wife thought he looked good after the change.
Joel Embiid looks leaner entering a season with major roster changes around him. Do you think improved conditioning can help Philadelphia get more from its star center? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.
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