For all his talent, Joel Embiid has yet to deliver on the promise of his potential. At 31, questions continue to surface about whether he can truly lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a championship. Injuries have plagued his career, and the last season was no different.
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He managed to play just 19 games before undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee in April 2025. As a result, this offseason is shaping up to be one of the most important of his career. Iman Shumpert recently weighed in on Embiid’s situation, urging the big man to prioritize his health over everything else.
He believes that in today’s NBA, being sensitive is natural, especially when fans and media doubt a player’s will to return. Shumpert shared that it’s tough hearing accusations that you don’t want to play when you’re actually dealing with a painful and limiting injury. It’s a mental hurdle as much as a physical one.
“I do agree with Joel Embiid, though, that this is a very, very important offseason. One, getting healthy at that size. You can’t teach size, but you also can’t deal with the repercussions that come with it. Having that knee problem, ankle problem, and having that weight on top of it, it’s a lot,” Shumpert said on NBA Today.
Shumpert believes that trying to rush back could only worsen things for Embiid. Instead, he urges him to take as much time as needed to get fully healthy before stepping back on the court. There’s no championship run without Embiid being close to 100%, both physically and mentally.
Contrary to popular opinion, Embiid has the heart to play through injuries and has done so in the past. But now, he must focus on full recovery before stepping on the court.
Joel Embiid played through injury and shocked his teammate
The media and fans often label Embiid as ‘soft.’ He is ridiculed for always being injured, not justifying his salary, and not caring about the franchise that has treated him so well. The narrative has become so dominant that people often forget he is the same Joel Embiid who won the league MVP two years ago and has risked major injuries for his team.
ESPN’s Dotun Akintoye revealed a conversation he had with Embiid’s former teammate Nicolas Batum. The forward said, “I was sitting next to him in the locker room. I saw his knee before every game, after every game. I saw his knee. I have no idea how he could even walk.”
Embiid isn’t the most outspoken individual in the league. He is usually very reserved and is a man of few words. This could be a reason why such instances don’t get the limelight they deserve. Regardless of what has happened in the past, the 2025-26 season is going to be an opportunity for Embiid to shut down all narratives against him and lead his team to a title.
