Minutes after Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid scored 50 points and walked off the court as the hero of Game 3, he shared a stunning diagnosis with reporters — he has been dealing with a mild case of Bell’s palsy.
Since the beginning of the 76ers first-round series versus the New York Knicks, videos of Embiid have circulated on social media with fans focused on the center’s left eye — a condition Embiid called “pretty annoying” on Thursday.
Joel Embiid’s left eye 😳 (h/t @TalkinKnicks)
— Overtime (@overtime) April 23, 2024
“My left side of my face, my mouth and my eye, so yeah, it’s been tough,” Embiid said. “But I’m not a quitter, so I got to keep fighting through anything. It’s unfortunate, that’s the way I look at it. That’s not an excuse, I got to keep pushing.”
Here’s what you need to know about Bell’s palsy and what it means for the reigning MVP:
What is Bell’s palsy?
Bell’s palsy is a neurological disorder that causes paralysis or weakness on one side of the face, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. It occurs when one of the nerves that controls face muscles becomes injured or stops working properly.
Along with weakness or paralysis in one side of the face, other symptoms may include a drooping eye and mouth, drooling from one side of the mouth and difficulty closing one eyelid.
According to the NIH, Bell’s palsy results from a problem with the facial nerve, which connects the brain to the muscles that control facial expression. Possible triggers of Bell’s palsy may include an impaired immunity due to stress, sleep deprivation, physical trauma or minor illness.
How long could Embiid’s symptoms last?
Symptoms of Bell’s palsy vary from mild to severe, and the timeline of recovery ranges from a few weeks to six months. In severe cases, facial weakness could be permanent.
Embiid told reporters he started feeling symptoms before the team’s Play-In Tournament game versus the Miami Heat, which was on April 17. After that game, he said he began experiencing bad migraines.
Embiid has also been seen wearing sunglasses indoors during the first round. On Thursday, he said he wasn’t given a recovery timeline.
“It hasn’t really necessarily gotten better,” he said. “With the conversations that I’ve had, it could be weeks, it could be months. I just hope that it stays like this.
“I’ve got a beautiful face. I don’t like it when my mouth is looking the other way. Unfortunate situation but everything happens for a reason.”
Other athletes who have experienced Bell’s palsy
- Naz Mitrou-Long: The former Utah Jazz and Indiana Pacers guard suffered from Bell’s palsy shortly after making his debut with the Pacers in 2019. He initially tried to play through the affliction, but saw his play dramatically decrease due to blurriness in his vision. He also struggled to eat food and drink water due to his weakened facial muscles.
- Evan Turner: The No. 2 pick in the 2010 NBA Draft suffered from a slew of illnesses as a child, the last of which was Bell’s palsy as a 10-year-old, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. Turner told the outlet he had to undergo a spinal tap, and the symptoms — which left part of his face paralyzed — lasted two weeks
- Levi Wallace: The Denver Broncos cornerback experienced Bell’s palsy while playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022. He told The Athletic at the time that he couldn’t blink and that the left side of his face drooped. Wallace, who suffered a concussion earlier that season, was already ruled out at the time with a shoulder injury, but returned in the following weeks while wearing a dark visor. He made two key plays in an ensuing Pittsburgh victory.
- Wesley Walker: A wide receiver with the New York Jets from 1977 to 1989, Walker endured a mild case of Bell’s palsy in 1982 which left the left side of his face paralyzed. According to The New York Times, Walker was unable to close his left eye, in which he was already legally blind due to a congenital cataract. Walker played through the ailment for multiple weeks to open the season and would be named a Pro Bowler that season.
Required reading
(Photo: Elsa / Getty Images)
