Joel Embiid: 3 skills to work on this summer
1. Conditioning
It wouldn’t be the NBA offseason if a blogger did not tell a pro basketball player to get in shape. So, without further ado….
Joel Embiid has admitted to being out of shape before. His lack of conditioning was apparent during the last few minutes of playoff games. When a defensive player of Embiid’s caliber gets burnt late into games, it may be a sign of waning stamina.
Just look at how he got beat during the final minutes of Game 2 in the Eastern Conference Finals:
Throwback to when Embiid got blown by 3 times late in the 4th in game 2 of the ECSF pic.twitter.com/N2MWX21918
— JERSEY CLUTCH (@ClutchClosetCo) July 8, 2018
For what it is worth, Embiid knows he has to get in better shape. He relayed this message to Derek Bodner, a burgeoning basketball writer.
Embiid said his focus this summer isn't so much to lose weight. Says he currently weighs ~280, and could see himself playing at 270-275. Says his focus is more on stamina and quickness, but wants to retain ability to bully people inside with his size and strength.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) May 10, 2018
With Embiid’s injury history, he may use his summer for recovery more than the average player does. Regardless, he seems to understand that the best ability is availability. This applies to fitness, too.
Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Hopefully Embiid hits the gym a little harder this summer and comes back next year able to finish games with more energy.