Joel Embiid has been making headlines, but not for his usual dominance on the court. Back in late January 2024, he suffered a nasty left knee injury when Jonathan Kuminga fell on him, tearing his meniscus. Surgery followed, but lingering pain and swelling shut him down for the rest of the 2024-25 season in February 2025. Now, it seems Embiid is putting the rehab time to use in more ways than one—shedding some pounds and showing off a leaner frame. A picture of him was recently shared on X, and fans immediately noticed he looked visibly “skinny,” sparking chatter about his body transformation and dedication during recovery.
Part of the story might connect to what Shaquille O’Neal said just days ago. Since retiring, Shaq has offered tough love to elite centers, including Embiid. He told a reporter, “I try to be tough on Joel [Embiid], but apparently, he can’t take it. So I’ll probably have to delete him from my program.”
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Shaq revealed he once urged Joel to be tougher in the paint like the legends he faced, but the advice didn’t go down well. Now, with Embiid’s body transformation turning heads, it looks like he might be taking matters into his own hands showing Shaq that he’s still very much in control of his game and his body.