Joel Embiid: ‘I kept pushing. Now I’m here’

6:41 PMAt Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid’s lowest point, he wanted to quit basketball. He was tired of the public criticism, sick of the people in basketball circles who doubted him and annoyed by the headlines that described him as a bust similar to Greg Oden, the top pick of the 2007 NBA draft whose career came to an end due to knee injuries.

“You guys criticized me when I missed those first two years,” Embiid said Friday just hours before the NBA Rising Stars game. “It was hard, but I kept pushing. Now I’m here.”

The native of Cameroon is suiting up for the Rising Stars World team on Friday night, will participate in the Skills Challenge on Saturday, and will start on Team Stephen during Sunday’s All-Star game.

“I wanted to participate in the 3-point contest,” Embiid said. “Maybe next year.”

Embiid’s got a pretty busy schedule, which isn’t bad for a guy who missed two full NBA seasons (2014-15 and 2015-16) and has had limitations on his play since making his NBA debut last season due to multiple surgeries on his right foot.

Don’t expect anything from Embiid during the Rising Stars game other than waving his hand during introductions — and that has nothing to do with his knee. “My knee feels good,” he said. “There’s no point in my playing [Rising Star]. I’m just going to step out of the way and let the guys do their thing.”

Embiid says the weekend is more special for him with all that he endured during his early career. But being a central part of All-Star weekend is a place he knew he would be after last season.

“Coming into the league I showed a lot of flashes, but I didn’t think I was good enough at the time,” Embiid said. “Last year I only played in 31 games, but I figured I was one of the best players in the league.”

After starting at rock bottom, how does Embiid feel now that he’s finally here on center stage?

“It’s sweeter being an All-Star starter,” Embiid said. “I’m excited this being my first time, and I’m going to have fun.”