Joel Embiid became popular after obvious weight loss, fans joked that MVP season is loading

According to F/W contributor Gautam Variel, the 76ers star Joel Embiid changed himself this offseason and seemed to have lost a considerable amount of weight.

Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid faces a lot of criticism throughout his career. One of Embiid’s biggest blows was his inability to stay healthy, and his weight is often considered a big reason for his injury. Embiid was previously listed as 7 feet tall and 280 pounds, and many people called on him to lose weight. It seems that the 31-year-old may have finally listened to everyone’s good intentions, because he looks pretty thin in some of the photos that have been circulating on social media recently.

Embid hasn't looked as slim as it looks in a long time, which is a good sign. Here is another photo of him talking to 76ers rookie VJ Edgecombe. You wonder if Embiid's injury problem would be alleviated if he had been in this state earlier. We have hardly seen this seven-time All-Star game in the last 18 months or so. Embiid made only 19 appearances for the 76ers in the 2024-25 season, averaging 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. His data has dropped across the board, and Philadelphia entering this offseason is full of doom and haze. Some preliminary reports about Embiid in the summer also did not make the situation look better. He may miss the start of training camp, and the Sixers regret giving the 2023 MVP a three-year, $193 million contract extension in 2024. Team insider Keith Pompei also speculated that Embiid's doom may be coming, and you have been worried about the worst since then. Will a generation of geniuses like him be forced to leave the game in his early 30s?

OK, these photos give you hope, and that may not be the case. Now there is at least reason to be cautiously optimistic about Embiid's 2025-26 season. 76ers fans would love to see Embiid return to MVP form, and of course, he tore the league a while ago. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 24 blocks per game for the 76ers, but only made 39 appearances. It is still difficult to predict whether Embiid can perform at that level again. His last NBA game dates back to February 2025, and once we see his game again, we can start making a lofty declaration.

If Embiid is near his best and manages to stay relatively healthy, the Sixers will likely make some sensation in the East next season. They have a bleak record of 24-58 in the 2024-25 season due to injuries and are now looking to be the beneficiaries of injuries such as the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers.

Of course, we have reason to believe that Embiid can return to his best condition and return to his MVP level under healthy conditions. Although there are few passers like Harden in the team, Maxi's growth is enough to match the current league development needs. In addition, if George returns in a healthy state, it can also help him return to MVP; this is as fans joked: MVP season is loading. Let's wait and see what will happen in the end!