Joel Embiid truly established himself as one of the best big men in the NBA last season as he helped the Philadelphia 76ers get back into the playoffs. The center's impressive performances also deservedly earned him a first All-Star appearance. In 63 games last year, he averaged a double-double of 22.9 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from three-point range. The 24-year-old was a dominant force on both ends of the floor for the Sixers and will only get better. Embiid finally looks like he's overcome his health issues and has had the entire offseason to work out for the first time since he entered the NBA. 

Taking that next step

He's primed to take another huge leap next season and head coach Brett Brown has high expectations. 

"I think Joel Embiid is going to be dominant this year," he said. "Joel blew me away with the workouts I watched this summer."

Since being drafted with the number three pick in 2014, the Cameroonian has had injury problems every summer until now. 

But he appears to be in great shape and fully healthy heading into the team's training camp next week. 

Embiid doesn't lack self-confidence and is also expecting to achieve big things in the upcoming campaign. 

Speaking last month before the NBA Africa game, he declared that he's targeting the MVP award. 

“I want to win the MVP,” Embiid said. “I feel like at the end of the day, it might be an individual award, but when I play better, the team also does.

"I feel like if I’m an MVP candidate or if I win the MVP, that means we are on another level.”

If the former Kansas product plays at an MVP level, the 76ers will have a great chance to reach the NBA Finals. 

Along with the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, they are among the three best teams in the Eastern Conference. 

They weren't able to attract any star names in free agency as they wanted but in Embiid and Ben Simmons, they have two of the most talented young players in the league. 

If they can stay healthy, Philadelphia will be a force again in the upcoming campaign.

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