After overcoming a two-year injury nightmare at the start of his NBA career, Joel Embiid is rubbing shoulders with the best players in the game in his first All-Star appearance this weekend.

The center has come a long way from those difficult years where he wasn't able to make his debut for the Philadelphia 76ers for two seasons.

There were huge question marks about his health and how his body would react to the demands of the NBA.

Some were quick to label him a bust and inevitably compared him to Greg Oden, another talented big man whose career was ruined by injury.

In a recent interview with CBS Sports, he admitted that he almost quit basketball and returned to his home country of Cameroon.

But Embiid has worked extremely hard to get himself healthy and in just 31 games last year, he showcased his dominance with some outstanding displays.

He has taken his game to another level this campaign and has put the 76ers in playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.

The big man is averaging impressive numbers of 23.7 points, 11.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.

The only other players putting up numbers of this kind this season are Giannis Antetokounmpo and DeMarcus Cousins - who is out for the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles.

At just 23, Embiid has his best years ahead of him and will be a dominant figure in the league for a long time if he can remain healthy.

Golden State Warriors superstar Kevin Durant certainly believes he'll be primed to take over the NBA in the future.

“He’s skilled for his size. He can shoot the three. He can dribble. He developed his skills over time and he wants it,” Durant said, per Bleacher Report.

“He’s a great player. He’s definitely a guy that you respect. He’s going to take over this league here once I’m done.”

'The Process' plays on both ends of the floor and is a threat in so many ways which is unique for a seven-footer.

He can score in a variety of ways on the offensive end and is a skilled defender and shot-blocker at the other end.

This has deservedly earned him his first All-Star nod and there will definitely be much more to come as he'll be a perennial selection.

He'll represent Team Stephen for the game at Staples Center on Sunday and he should definitely enjoy the moment and be proud of how far he's come after a difficult introduction to the league.