Joel Embiid’s career may be reaching a critical crossroads as injuries continue to plague the 76ers star.
The 76ers selected Embiid with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft out of Kansas. His NBA journey got off to a rocky start when he missed his first two professional seasons due to injury.
When Embiid finally made his debut in 2016-17, fans got their first glimpse of his incredible talent. Since then, he’s started all 452 games he’s appeared in over nine years.
But staying healthy has been a constant struggle for the 31-year-old center.
The seven-time All-Star has missed significant playing time over the last two seasons, raising serious questions about his future. Recently, Sixers’ insider Keith Pompey dropped a bombshell when he said, “I think Joel might know the end is near.”
The numbers tell a troubling story. Over the past two seasons, Embiid has played just 58 total games while missing a staggering 106.
Last season was particularly concerning. Embiid appeared in only 19 games before being shut down in late February.
In April, he underwent surgery on his knee – the same knee he had a procedure on just 14 months earlier. Not exactly what you want to hear about your franchise player.
There is some positive news. Embiid reportedly “resumed partial basketball activities” in July and is expected to be ready for training camp this fall.
But Pompey’s comments have sent shockwaves through the NBA community. His observation came after reading ESPN writer Dotun Akintoye’s recent feature on Embiid.
In that piece, Embiid “deeply” reflected on his career path as he heads into his tenth NBA season. The center opened up about his injury struggles and the toll they’ve taken on him both physically and mentally.
Pompey believes these reflections might signal that Embiid is coming to terms with his basketball mortality. If he can’t stay healthy during the upcoming 2024-25 season, the former MVP might face an incredibly tough decision about his future.
While Pompey acknowledged his thoughts are speculation, the situation raises real concerns. When healthy, Embiid remains one of the NBA’s top 10 players – a dominant force few teams can handle.
But that “when healthy” qualifier has become increasingly significant.
The 2025-26 season looms as a pivotal year for Philadelphia. If Embiid’s injury troubles continue, the Sixers might need to make difficult decisions about the direction of their franchise.
For a player who’s accomplished so much – including winning the 2022-23 MVP award – the biggest opponent has never been another team, but his own body.
