A new Joel Embiid knee injury update has been released. The Philadelphia star will be undergoing another arthroscopic knee surgery. The procedure will be on the same left knee that has been giving him issues for all of this season and some of last. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Embiid will be reevaluated in six weeks and is expected to make a full recovery. Still, with Embiid’s injury history and recent play, the question needs to be asked: Is the MVP-level Embiid ever coming back? All signs are pointing to the big man’s body finally breaking down for good, making it seem very unlikely that we will see Embiid as one of the best players in the league ever again.
Is Joel Embiid’s Career As We Know It Over?
Another Embiid Knee Injury Update
It seems like lately Sixers fans are waiting on Embiid injury updates more than they are actually getting to see their star play. The team entered the year with real championship hopes after signing Paul George in the offseason. From there, everything fell apart. The season has been a disaster from every angle. Almost every significant player on the roster has dealt with some sort of injury.
Embiid will be re-evaluated in six weeks after surgery and is expected to make a full recovery, sources said. It will mark Embiid’s second surgery on the left knee over the last 14 months. https://t.co/fv9Sgiojr0
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 2, 2025
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Embiid is at the core of that. The former MVP was only able to play in 19 games this season, dealing with various injuries and suspensions. This is now the second year in a row that Embiid has missed more than half the season, and Philly fans are starting to get flashbacks to Embiid’s early career.
Embiid’s Knee Issues Persist
Injury issues have plagued Embiid for most of his career. In February 2024, he underwent surgery on his left lateral meniscus but returned in time for the playoffs. He then represented Team USA in the Paris Olympics, where he played an important role in securing a gold medal. However, his knee continued to trouble him into the current season, forcing him to miss its start and limiting his availability throughout.
The Sixers are hoping that his surgery next week can fix the problem. That being said players of Embiid’s size with lingering knee issues often can’t ever fully recover. Embiid is one of the heaviest players in the league and the constant stress and impact basketball has on his lower body have led to injuries since the beginning of his career.
Can Embiid Become an MVP Again?
If you look at Embiid’s whole career, missing 30+ games with injury is more common than playing 60 or more games. For that reason alone, Embiid’s MVP days are probably over. The chances that Embiid ever plays another season over the 65-game threshold to win major awards are slim to none. He has only played over 65 games twice in his entire career.
On top of that, the injuries are starting to add up. In his limited play this season, Embiid saw his production fall off a cliff. He went from scoring almost 35 points per game last season on 52.9% shooting from the field to averaging only 23.8 points on 44.4% shooting this season. On top of that, Embiid looked like a shadow of himself on the defensive end. Two knee surgeries in two years are certainly not going to help that, either.
Maybe Embiid can recover this summer and surprise everyone with an epic comeback next season. The more likely outcome, however, is that Embiid has just faced too many injuries, and he and the Sixers need to adjust expectations.
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