Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has dealt with plenty of injuries and ailments throughout his career. But reports suggest that he has been suffering through an issue rarely seen in the NBA. Bell’s palsy.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on Thursday that Embiid has been dealing with Bell’s palsy since the Play-In Tournament.
“ESPN Sources: Sixers star Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell’s palsy for the past week,” Wojnarowski shared on Twitter/X. “The condition began during the play-in victory over Miami but he has wanted to keep it private to avoid distractions for his team.”
ESPN Sources: Sixers star Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell’s palsy for the past week. The condition began during the play-in victory over Miami but he has wanted to keep it private to avoid distractions for his team.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 26, 2024
Embiid’s unusual facial expressions had been noticed by NBA fans in the early part of the series against the New York Knicks. This potentially answers those questions.
Is Joel Embiid unable to blink with his left eye? pic.twitter.com/TxI3qlNPqH
— Talkin’ Knicks (@TalkinKnicks) April 23, 2024
Embiid confirmed the diagnosis after Thursday’s game against the Knicks.
Joel Embiid confirmed that he has had a case of Bell's palsy over the last week-plus. He said it began 1-2 days before the Play-In game against the Heat. He had migraines. It has affected the left side of his face and mouth.
Embiid: "It's been tough… It's unfortunate." pic.twitter.com/0EOPWlAGXx
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) April 26, 2024
This makes Embiid’s already fantastic game on Thursday night look even better.
Embiid scored 50 points in Game 3 of Philadelphia’s series against the Knicks, helping lead the 76ers to a much-needed 125-114 win and getting back in the series.
[Adrian Wojnarowski on Twitter/X]
