Which Formerly Out of Shape NBA Star Will Dominate This Season: Embiid or Zion?

This is one of the most interesting times of the NBA season. Training camp is almost here, and we are starting to see what players have done this offseason to prepare for next year. This is when the often-injured or out-of-shape players look their best, and we love to hypothesize about what their new bodies and training regimens could mean for their season.

Two players that every NBA fan wants to believe are healthy and in the best shape of their lives are Zion Williamson and Joel Embiid. When either of those players is healthy, they are two of the most talented and entertaining stars in the league. The problem is, both have a really hard time staying on the court.

In their 14 combined seasons played, they’ve only played in over 65 regular-season games (the new threshold to win major awards) three times. Sometimes they miss time from freak injuries, but many believe that it is the lack of conditioning and care for their bodies that has caused many of their health issues.

That’s why, when photos of Embiid and Zion surfaced recently showing them both slimmed down, fans started to get excited about the season to come.

The question is: are these body transformations real? Or will they inevitably get hurt once again and fall short of their All-NBA potential? And if they are real, who is more likely to dominate with their new and improved body?

It’s obviously hard to predict, but we believe Zion Williamson is the more likely breakout candidate. Zion is younger, has a less gruesome injury history, and has played significantly more than Embiid over the last two seasons.

Before recent photos surfaced of Embiid looking healthy, many believed he was closer to retirement than another All-Star game. Betting on Embiid for a breakout season is extremely risky, and although Zion is too, he seems like a safer bet.