Joel Embiid, a generational talent who has faced immense criticism and, at times, even ridicule, is battling injuries and setbacks while trying to return to his best. And his persistent knee issues, which he has endured throughout his career, add to the daunting journey.
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In 2024, Embiid underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus on his left knee that was expected to keep him on the court without further trouble. But in February of this year, his season was cut short once again, leading to another procedure in April. The 31-year-old center played just 19 games last season.
While the Philadelphia 76ers believe he’ll be ready for training camp in two months, many fear yet another setback is looming. Amid all this, many have questioned whether he truly has the drive or desire. Eddie Johnson, however, suggested that Embiid’s issues might be stemming from him giving a little too much on the floor.
Johnson doesn’t believe Embiid’s struggles are due to laziness, despite the narrative the media has pushed of late. He thinks the real issue is that Embiid works too hard for someone his size.
“He plays hard. People can get on Embiid all they want, like, based on the shape that he’s in, the dude does play hard,” Johnson opined on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “He’s going to try to defend the rim, he’s going to try to do things, and I think that’s part of his issue.”
“I think that’s part of his issue”
@JumpShot8 tells @TermineRadio why he thinks Sixers star Joel Embiid continues to deal with injuries pic.twitter.com/YWDJ0UyHGW— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 30, 2025
Standing over 7 feet tall and weighing more than 280 pounds, Embiid needs to take better care of himself and play in a way that suits his body. The strain his body takes thanks to his physical playing style could have triggered the cycle of injuries for the big man, whose repeated absences continue to hurt the 76ers year after year.
“When you’re trying to play as hard as he does sometimes, and you’re out of shape, you’re gonna get injured,” Johnson added. “You’re gonna get injured when you’re trying to play hard. And I think that’s the realization he has to come to.”
Now, there are two ways Embiid could overcome this. He can either adapt his game to fit the body he has right now or focus on improving his fitness. He doesn’t need to look far for inspiration.
Just look at how much weight Luka Doncic has shed over the summer. Dropping a few pounds could do wonders for Embiid and his knees, and help him get back to being the dominant force we all know he can be.
Will Embiid adapt or retire?
It’s easy to forget sometimes that a player as good as Embiid is still in the NBA. That’s how rarely he has featured in recent years. And although fans are upset and rivals mock him, it’s important to remember one fact: He wants to continue playing at the highest level. Will his body allow him to? That we don’t know.
Keith Pompey, a 76ers insider, recently hinted that Embiid could retire altogether. “I think Joel may know that the end is near,” Pompey said on SiriusXM NBA Radio about the recent feature written about him.
“This is just me saying that. And it’s kind of explaining to people what he’s going through. Because rarely do you have a guy tell you how much pain and how much they’re going through,” he added.
The entire NBA community would agree that seeing a player as talented as Embiid retire this early would be a tragedy. Hopefully, he bounces back from his setbacks and delivers the success in Philadelphia that many have always believed he could.
