Joel Embiid: the apocalypse

The never-ending story is the best way to describe the life and times of Joel Embiid. A bust in every sense, a player with the makings of a generational talent who has ended up as nothing. And a man who has never met expectations, continuing his own particular fall into the abyss with nothing and no one able to stop him.

The problem, among many others, is that no one is surprised anymore. And there’s nothing to be done with someone who spends more time injured than healthy, who never stops complaining, and who, the few times he has been healthy, hasn’t risen to the occasion. Who doesn’t take care of himself and doesn’t even want to. And at 31, he doesn’t look like someone who’s going to reach a redemption that’s been endlessly postponed and finally out of reach — especially if you never look for it. No intent, no direction, no purpose. That’s how Embiid moves, in a constant push-and-pull that will leave him as one of the most widely disliked figures in NBA history. And maybe in all of sports.

Embiid won’t be ready for the start of the season

The latest word is that Embiid’s knee is still in bad shape and that he won’t be ready for the Sixers’ season opener. And that’s with the start of the season not until October. The center played only 19 games last season, dogged by constant physical problems. Something that has been a constant in a career full of ups and downs, in which he has never played more than 68 regular-season games, always with unfulfilled ambitions of greatness and big stats that have never had a positive impact on his team. A Sixers team that, according to the same leaks, regrets giving him the extension they did in 2024 — three years, $193 million, tying him to the franchise through the 2028-29 season. Far too long a wait to start building anything. And it’s time for the Philadelphia organization to start accepting that this is over. For whatever reason.

Embiid was taken with the third pick in the 2014 draft by the Sixers, who were then in a stretch known as The Process. One that involved many players, of which the center was the only survivor — unfortunately. Many casualties have been left along the way in the franchise’s attempt to at least reach a conference finals again, something they haven’t done since 2001, with Allen Iverson as their messiah, when they made the NBA Finals and fell because what else was going to happen against Shaq and Kobe’s Lakers.

Since then, nothing. And that plan hatched by Sam Hinkie to lose heavily in order to stockpile draft picks served no purpose, with the only real chance being that Game 7 in Canada against the Raptors, decided by Kawhi Leonard’s unforgettable buzzer-beater. Embiid, who ended that night in tears in front of Marc Gasol, wasn’t up to the moment. The truth is he never has been.

Embiid’s constant injuries

The Cameroonian, who chose to play for the United States instead of France (a decision that brought open relief to the latter), didn’t play in either of his first two seasons because of injury. After that, he finished third in Rookie of the Year voting, was selected to seven All-Star Games (every year until last season’s one to forget), and chased an MVP relentlessly, losing out twice to Nikola Jokic. He finally won it, becoming the first Sixer since Iverson to take home the trophy. But it meant nothing: poor conditioning, questionable eating habits, constant theatrics on the court to draw free throws, and defensive indifference are just some of the criticisms aimed at a man with the promise that never materialized. That is the eternal story of Joel Embiid, once again with knee problems and once again set to miss the start of the Sixers’ season. Something we’ve seen before — and now we’ll see what path it takes. What is certain is that he has pocketed more than $500 million in contracts, the fifth-highest career total in NBA history.

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