Philadelphia 76ers center and former NBA MVP Joel Embiid was dealt the short end of the stick in terms of injury luck, but he’s determined not to let that define his career. After years of lingering left knee issues, he decided to bite the bullet last April and undergo arthroscopic surgery to reconstruct the troubled joint.
Embiid, a seven-time NBA All-Star, is undeniably a dominant force on the court. At 7 feet tall and weighing 280 pounds, he’s one of the most skilled big men to ever play the game, able to score from anywhere and a deterrent on defense. However, years of lingering knee injuries and other phantom ailments have derailed the past few years of the star’s career.
Following his 2023 NBA MVP campaign, Embiid posted historic averages of nearly 35 points and 11 rebounds per game in the 2023-24 season. He only played 39 of 82 possible games due to a meniscus issue early in the season, but his return in the second half propelled a struggling 76ers team to a playoff appearance. This dominant run of his included a historic 70-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs in early 2024.
Although Embiid looked to be himself after that early-season meniscus issue, knee issues were still lingering and Embiid even revealed after the 76ers’ first-round loss that he had been playing through a case of Bell’s palsy that affected the left side of his face. Embiid told ESPN reporters after the 2024 season, "But the one thing I'm not going to do is give up, no matter what happens. Gotta keep pushing, gotta keep fighting, gotta keep putting my body on the line, for my family, for this city (and) for this team."
He has kept that word, even following a disaster of a 2024-25 season in which he was only able to appear in 19 games and was shut down for the remainder of the season in February 2025 due to “ongoing issues with his left knee.” The persistent swelling and pain were evident for fans watching Embiid play in 2024-25. He was simply not the same player everybody had seen win an MVP the year prior. His athleticism had diminished and he looked to be in pain almost constantly. Despite what many thought could be the beginning of the end for him, he has silenced the doubters.
Embiid has received endless hate and doubt from NBA fans far and wide for his lengthy injury history, but he never let that throw him off his track. After an incredible job done by Dr. Jonathan Glashow last April to reconstruct Embiid’s left knee, he took time to fully recover early this season and is now nearing full health. He has played unbelievably well over the past month and a half.
Embiid has now played in 16 of the 76ers’ last 20 games, and he is vital to the team’s success. In those 20 games, the 76ers have won 13, with only one of those wins being without Embiid on the floor.
The month of January has been a resurgence for the former MVP, putting the world on notice that he is almost back to peak form. He only appeared in four games in October, three in November and seven in December while fully recovering from surgery. However, Embiid played 14 games in January and averaged 29.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.
Embiid’s belief in himself never wavered. We are seeing one of the best stories in recent sports history. While some questioned whether Embiid could ever return to NBA stardom, he shut out all the noise and finally did the work that needed to be done for years to address these issues.
The 76ers are surging now that Embiid is a consistent presence on the court, and it’s incredible to see this comeback. Him being healthy is incredible for the game of basketball, and his resilient story can inspire young athletes to push through hard times, no matter how dark they may feel.
Jack Muldowney is a freshman studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Jack Muldowney about their column? Email/tweet them at jm760224@ohio.edu or @JackMuldowney1.
