NBA All-Star Joel Embiid Goes Public With Bell's Palsy Diagnosis

Joel Embiid has been a great asset to the Philadelphia 76ers. Behind the scenes, however, Embiid has been fighting a different battle.

Speaking to reporters on April 25, Embiid revealed that he has been diagnosed with Bell's palsy, a form of facial paralysis, and has been dealing with it since before the NBA play-in tournament began earlier this month. According to The Associated Press, Embiid said he's had various symptoms including blurred vision and dry eyes since "a day or two" before the Sixers play-in tournament game on April 17. "I had bad migraines and thought it was nothing," he said, per The Miami Herald.

"My body was just, I was just not feeling it,” Embiid said. “Yes, it’s pretty annoying. My left side of my face, my mouth, and my eye. It’s been tough, but I’m not a quitter. I’m going to keep fighting through anything. It’s unfortunate; that’s the way I look at it. But that's not an excuse. I’ve got to keep pushing."

He confessed that he sometimes asks himself "Why me?" and admitted it hasn't been easy, but he isn't letting it get him down.

"The one thing I'm not going to do is give up, no matter what happens," he said. "I've got to keep pushing, got to keep fighting, got to keep putting my body on the line for my family, for this city, for this team."

Bell's palsy symptoms are largely temporary and fade with time. The Sixers are set to face off against the New York Knicks in game 4 of the Eastern Conference championship quarterfinals on April 28.