Source: Tim Nwachukwu/Getty
NBA All-Star Center Joel Embiid revealed that he has been diagnosed with Bell's palsy, which is the reason for his recent eye problem.
On Thursday night (April 25), Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid finally cleared up speculation about his vision in a postgame press conference, informing the media that he suffers from Bell's palsy. Bell's palsy is a form of facial paralysis that causes sudden muscle weakness on one side of the face, making the eye on that side difficult to close. Embiid said he started dealing with the effects before the Sixers' play-in tournament game against the Miami Heat at the start of this year's playoffs.
“I think it started a day or two before the Miami game [in the play-in tournament], and I had bad migraines and I thought it was nothing,” Embiid said after the Sixers' win over the New York Knicks. “It's quite embarrassing, you know, with the left side of my face, my mouth and my eye. So yeah, it was hard. But I'm not one to give up, so I have to keep fighting. But yes, it's unfortunate. That's how I see it. But it's no excuse. I have to keep pushing.” She also said she was told the condition could last weeks or months.
He also talked about how the situation is different addition to the list of ailments he has endured throughout his career, including a knee injury he is still recovering from after surgery in February. “It's unfortunate,” he began. “Every year, you start asking yourself questions like, 'Why?' Every year it's… very annoying. Yes. Maybe it's meant to be. We just have to take it as it is. But the one thing I'm not going to do is give up no matter what.”
The news comes after Embiid scored a historic 50 points on fewer than 20 shooting attempts, making 19 of 21 free throws and five 3-pointers, all playoff records for the 30-year-old. The effort earned Philadelphia their first win in their first-round series against the rising second-seeded Knicks, who they will play at home on Sunday (April 29), as the Knicks lead two games to one.
