Joel EmbiidAt the onset of this season, it appeared that Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid would successfully defend his regular season MVP title. Unfortunately, an injury sidelined him for the entire season. Nonetheless, Drew Hanlen remained unwavering in his assessment of Embiid as the top player.

As Embiid’s trainer, Hanlen spends considerable time with him and recently discussed various aspects of Embiid’s situation in an interview with a media outlet. He shed light on the impact of the recent injury on the former NBA MVP’s mental well-being. Hanlen expressed confidence that Embiid’s exceptional performance would have led him to another MVP award.

He elaborated on how Embiid’s potential for greatness in his career was consistently thwarted whenever he approached it. During his rookie year, Embiid was a frontrunner for the Rookie of the Year award but was sidelined by an injury. Similarly, in 2021, the 76ers held the top seed in their conference, and Joel was a prime candidate for the MVP honor, but once again, injury sidelined him, causing him to miss out. Drew underscored that this season, Embiid was poised to clinch both the MVP and scoring titles, but his injury once more deprived him of achieving these accolades.

It harmed Embiid’s mental health so they looked at it from a different perspective. “When you (Joel Embiid) are healthy, you are the best basketball player in the world. Hopefully one of these years, you can get a healthy post-season so that you can show the people what you are capable of,” said Drew in the interview while reminiscing about his conversation with Joel.

Joel Embiid returns to Practice at the 76ers camp

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has made a return to practice after an extended period of being sidelined. This development brings joy to fans, especially as the 76ers prepare to face the Miami Heat, led by Jimmy Butler, in the upcoming Play-In Tournament. Embiid’s presence in the game is expected to bolster the team’s strength and morale as they aim to secure a spot in the playoffs.

In February, Embiid underwent successful surgery for his meniscus, which has sidelined him until now. However, he has received medical clearance to resume practice. While participating in practice doesn’t guarantee his presence in Wednesday’s match, the likelihood of his participation is high.