LOS ANGELES — No one would accuse Joel Embiid of lacking confidence. The only things that can match Embiid’s outsized personality are his massive, 7-foot-2 frame and ridiculously diverse skill set. That combination has made him one of the NBA’s most popular players over the past two seasons, and one of the biggest attractions as the Philadelphia 76ers center approaches his first All-Star Game on Sunday.
But it was that same 7-2 frame that nearly ended Embiid’s career before it began.
“My body died,” Embiid said Friday, recalling an injury in the summer of 2015, after he had already missed an entire NBA season.