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Joel Embiid has his best chance to win an NBA championship in over six years, but he cannot let this opportunity slip.
Embiid has never had a starting five as good as the one the 76ers have put together heading into the 2026-27 NBA season.
However, with his injury history and track record in the playoffs, Embiid must recognise how important it is that he gets it right.
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Joel Embiid told 2027 is his best chance to win a championship
Speaking on NBA Today, ESPN reporter Dave McMenamin talked about Joel Embiid’s mindset coming into the 2026-27 season, and his ambitions to return to the best version of himself.
He also added that Embiid has taken a lot of effort to get in good shape again, because he has the best opportunity to win the NBA championship this season.
“Mike (Gansey) took the job in May, took over for longtime president of basketball operations Darryl Morey. One of the initial conversations he had with Joel was Joel telling him, ‘I want to play a lot of games next year, and I want to get back to the All-NBA version on Joel.’
“The motivation has only spiked since adding LeBron to the fore. Part of the conversation Joel was having with LeBron when trying to recruit him there was telling him, ‘I am healthy.’
“As you can see from the images, he has clearly shed weight; he has been at the gym a lot. This is a huge season for him.
“This is, in my opinion, the biggest opportunity he’s had since the Sixers added Jimmy Butler in 2019, where they were one bounce away from the conference finals.
“Now, he gets Jaylen Brown, and he gets LeBron James. And guess what? The sand in the hourglass is getting less and less for his career.”
Joel Embiid can rely on other stars to stay healthy throughout the season
Embiid’s health issues have been well-documented, as the superstar has struggled to stay healthy for several years.
Outside of his 2022-23 MVP season, Embiid has struggled to play more than 50 games in a season over the last four years.
In fact, Embiid has only played 96 games across the last three seasons. But the 76ers putting together a strong roster this season actually works to his benefit.
Even though Embiid wants to play 65+ games this season, he can pick and choose the games he misses, and can do so without worrying about whether the 76ers will be able to win.
With three All-Star-calibre players on the roster, Embiid can choose to miss some games and know that his teammates will be able to compete for a win without any issues.
Read more:
- Sixers President Mike Gansey shares how Joel Embiid and LeBron James will play together
- LeBron James sends Joel Embiid clear message as 76ers star shows off new physique
- NBA fans all feel the same about Joel Embiid after Philadelphia 76ers star’s recent practice images go viral
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