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The race for this season’s MVP award is heating up. Whether it is Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, or Giannis Antetokounmpo, they all have chances of winning the prestigious award. One of the favorites to win the award is Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cameroon international is known for his physical dominance and shooting accuracy, while also being incredibly agile.

While his gameplay might be popular all around the world, only little is known among fans about his fitness journey. Embiid was once very skinny before he turned fat, thanks to junk food. After becoming serious regarding his career, Embiid focused on conditioning his body, which helped him reach where he is today.

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The fitness journey of Joel Embiid

The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the best teams in the league currently and they are led by Joel Embiid. The MVP frontrunner is putting in phenomenal performances week after week and closing in on the MVP award.

via Getty

While he might be known for his physicality presently, he was a junk food lover at one point in time! Before getting drafted in the NBA, he was skinny with a big build. Although he worked hard to gain weight, his weight got out of hand. He faced a lot of injuries during the initial years of his career, which made him gain weight. In addition to that, there was his love for junk food, that led him to gain an unusual 50 pounds in just 3 months during his initial years.

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The situation got so out of control that the Philadelphia 76ers front office sent members to fill Embiid’s fridge with healthy food! Embiid finally changed for the better as he spent the entire off-season training his body.

His transformation worked wonders for him as well as the team. Embiid is finishing on the MVP list consistently for some time now and he seems to be in no mood to slow down.

How has he been this season?

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Joel Embiid is having a season to remember. He is one of the best players in the league currently playing for a team looking to win the NBA title. Currently, the Cameroon international is second in the MVP race behind Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.

USA Today via Reuters

He averages 29.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Thanks to his efforts, the Philadelphia 76ers currently take 2nd place in the Eastern Conference.

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