The Philadelphia 76ers held media day on Monday (September 30th) and the biggest question, besides Ben Simmons’ jumpshot, was how was Joel Embiid’s offseason?

The Sixers’ big man came off his most productive season in 2018-19. He averaged career highs in points per game (27.5) and rebounds (13.6). He did this while playing in a career-high 64 games and averaging a career-high 33.7 minutes per game. 

But in the playoffs, his productivity dropped and he suffered with tendinitis in his knee. 

Embiid knew that in order to have the kind of team and individual success he wanted, he needed to take better care of his body. 

“I just remember thinking I let my team down,” Embiid told ESPN. “You can’t control sickness or when it's going to happen. Obviously my knee was bothering me the whole second half of the season and the playoffs. But all I was thinking was what can I do make sure I don’t let my teammates down again or my team. Or the whole city basically. That was to take better care of my body. To work on the stuff I never really paid attention to, and it’s been going well the whole summer.”

Embiid is 7-foot-2 and was listed at 260 pounds last year. He told the group of assembled reporters at Monday’s media day that he dropped 25 pounds over the summer and has since put on five pounds of muscle. 

“I haven’t done anything differently. I just try to eat the right way, cut out anything bad. I’ve just been extremely focused on what I have to do and I still have a long way to go. I’m not at my goal yet.”

Scary thought for the rest of the NBA.