After missing the last two seasons due to injury, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will not let his chance to start training camp slip away this time.

Though battling a flu the night before, the 22-year-old made his trip to Stockton University to join his team for practice on Tuesday morning. Speaking to Keith Pompey of Philly.com, Embiid explained why he still drove himself to the Jersey Shore town and participated in the drills:

“I was like, I waited too long for this time to come, so I've got to go and try to put some work in. And that's what I did.”

The former third overall pick of the 2014 draft was originally scheduled for a 20 minute workout but exceeded it, putting in a total of 25 minutes. Not bad at all, especially since he was expected to be sit this one out due to the illness he was fighting.

After practice, Embiid was full of optimism and admitted to having a good session despite being under the weather:

“I'm feeling great, I'm a little disappointed that I missed the beginning, that I didn't get a chance to play. But I went up and back a couple of times and it felt great. So I'm feeling pretty good despite the fact that I'm sick.”

Embiid's actions were not left unnoticed as the team's head coach, Brett Brown, was impressed with how he showed his commitment. The 55-year-old bench tactician also hopes it's just the flu that's bothering the 7-foot center and not anything more serious:

“I don't think he's missed a beat from a great month of September,” Brown said of Embiid. “You are sort of judging [that] sometimes is it the flu that is slowing him down [in the scrimmage]. I think that more than anything.”

At this point, all signs point to everyone seeing the Kansas University product finally making his debut for the Sixers this season. Barring a major setback, he will have the chance to prove to himself, as well to the team's top brass, that the two-year wait for him to be fully healthy was worth it.