Before the 2024-25 NBA season began, 76ers center Joel Embiid was at the center of another injury-related debate after he made an eye-opening declaration about playing in back-to-backs.
“If I had to guess, I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career,” Embiid told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. Shocking as it was, anyone familiar with Embiid’s lengthy history would at least understand the rationale behind such a statement.
After he was drafted third overall in 2014, Embiid missed what would have been his first two NBA seasons with foot injuries. Even his rookie season, which came two years after his draft year, was cut short by a knee injury.
A decade after being drafted, Embiid is 30 and has won two scoring titles, a league MVP and Olympic gold. With their sights set on winning the ultimate prize of an NBA championship, Embiid and the Sixers have prioritized health and rest for long-term availability.
As a result, Embiid’s lengthy timeline of injuries has grown during his ninth NBA season on the floor. Here’s a look back at how injuries have continued to impact his career.
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Joel Embiid injury history timeline
June 19, 2014: Days before the NBA Draft, Embiid undergoes surgery to repair a stress fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot. He is given a recovery timeline of four-to-six months.
Aug. 27, 2014: The Sixers front office expresses doubt that Embiid will be able to play during the 2014-15 NBA season. He ultimately misses the entirety of the 2014-15 campaign.
June 13, 2015: Embiid suffers a setback in his recovery, per Adrian Wojnarowski. After the 76ers confirmed the report, it is revealed that Embiid re-broke his navicular bone and will require another surgery.
Aug. 18, 2015: Embiid shares a photo from the hospital, confirming that he has undergone successful surgery to repair his broken bone. The 76ers announce he will miss the entirety of the 2015-16 season to recover.
MORE: The latest updates on 76ers rookie Jared McCain’s knee injury
Jan. 20, 2017: In his 30th career NBA game, Embiid suffers a fall and aggravates his left knee, causing him to miss Philadelphia’s next three games due to swelling and soreness.
Jan. 27, 2017: Embiid scores 32 points in 28 minutes in a loss to the Rockets, which would ultimately be the final game of his rookie season. He returns to the sideline with left knee swelling.
Feb. 11, 2017: The knee swelling is the product of a “minor” meniscus tear, per reports. Embiid is listed as day-to-day by the 76ers.
March 1, 2017: Embiid is ruled out for the remainder of the 2016-17 season after his meniscus injury “appears more pronounced” on a follow-up MRI. He finishes his rookie year having played just 31 games.
March 28, 2018: A collision with teammate Markelle Fultz results in Embiid fracturing his left orbital bone and sustaining a concussion.
The injury requires surgery and Embiid is placed in the league’s concussion protocol, sidelining him for the final eight games of the regular season and the first two games of the 2018 NBA Playoffs.
MORE: Inside Joel Embiid’s ejection from NSFW tirade toward referee
Jan. 6, 2020: Embiid suffers a gruesome finger injury in a win over the Thunder. The injury requires surgery and sidelines Embiid for Philadelphia’s next nine games.
May 31, 2021: Embiid takes an awkward fall in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Wizards. The 76ers later announce that Embiid had suffered a partially torn meniscus in his right knee, sidelining him for one game.
Nov. 8, 2021: Embiid is placed in the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, causing him to miss nine games.
Upon returning to the lineup, Embiid shares that “I really thought I wasn’t going to make it,” detailing the toll the virus took on him.
April 20, 2022: Embiid tears a ligament in his right thumb in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Raptors. It is reported that the injury will require offseason surgery.
He still sinks a clutch 3-pointer in the game.
🗣️ SIXERS WIN GAME THREE. pic.twitter.com/1IcPit6yh0
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) April 21, 2022
April 28, 2022: An elbow from Raptors forward Pascal Siakam in Philadelphia’s series-clinching Game 6 win results in Embiid suffering a mild concussion and a right orbital fracture. Embiid misses the first two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals with the injury.
May 2, 2023: Embiid is named MVP of the 2022-23 NBA season after appearing in 66 of 82 games.
Jan 30, 2024: An awkward play leads to Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga falling on Embiid’s left knee. It is revealed that Embiid suffered a torn lateral meniscus on the play and that the injury would require surgery on his left knee.
April 25, 2024: After scoring 50 points in Game 3 of the NBA Playoffs, Embiid reveals that he had been diagnosed with Bell’s palsy, resulting in paralysis of his face, migraines and blurred vision.
July 9, 2024: In preparation for his Olympics debut, Embiid brushes off injury concerns.
“I never worry about injuries because the moment I do I feel I’m not going to be the same,” Embiid says. “I think if something happens then it was meant to happen, so I just go with the flow.”
Aug. 10, 2024: Embiid sees 11 minutes of action as Team USA earns an 11-point win over France to win Olympic gold.
He finished the Olympic tournament having appeared in five of the team’s six games. Embiid averaged 11.2 points in 16.8 minutes per game.
Sept. 20, 2024: Ahead of training camp for the 2024-25 season, Embiid inks a three-year contract extension worth $192.9 million. Embiid says “Philadelphia is home. I want to be here for the rest of my career,” as the deal keeps him with the Sixers through at least 2029.
Oct. 3, 2024: Embiid reveals he has been a limited participant at training camp as the Sixers look to prioritize his long-term health following a heavy summer workload. The plan is for him to keep “slowly building back up” ahead of the season opener.
Oct. 22, 2024: After missing the entirety of the preseason with “left knee injury management,” Embiid is ruled out for Philadelphia’s regular season opener for the same reason.
Nov. 12, 2024: Embiid makes his regular-season debut after missing six games for knee injury management and three games for a league-mandated suspension from an altercation with a media member.
In 26 minutes, Embiid scores 13 points (on 2-of-11 shooting) in a 12-point loss to the Knicks.
Nov. 22, 2024: After playing four games in nine days, Embiid is initially ruled out of Philadelphia’s next two games to manage swelling in his left knee.
The absence extends beyond the initial prognosis and Embiid is shut down for two weeks and misses a total of seven games to manage the swelling.
Dec. 8, 2024: Embiid returns to action for his fifth game of the year. He scores 31 points, pulls down 12 rebounds and dishes out four assists in 33 minutes of playing time.
Dec. 13, 2024: In his second game back from knee injury management, Embiid suffers a sinus fracture after taking an inadvertent blow to the face.
He is limited to 17 minutes in the game and his status is dependent on the severity of the injury.
Dec. 20, 2024: Embiid returns to the floor wearing a protective face mask after missing one game with a sinus fracture.
Unfazed by the facial equipment, Embiid scores 34 points, dishes out nine assists and pulls down five rebounds in a 10-point win over Charlotte.
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