After playing just 19 games in the 2024-25 season, Joel Embiid was shut down for the rest of the year at the end of February. His surgically-repaired left knee had continued to give him problems despite pain management techniques and injections the team had used to try and get him to play through his discomfort.
Embiid is now considering alternative options, including potential surgery, in order to eventually get back on the court. How effective could those treatment plans be?
Sporting News reached out to expert Derek Ochiai, who is a doctor of sports medicine and Virginia’s leading board-certified arthroscopic hip surgeon, in order to find out more about Embiid’s knee and how it could impact the rest of his career.
How serious is Joel Embiid’s injury?
Embiid originally had surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee on Feb. 2, 2024. That’s a common procedure, and many NBA players have gone on to have successful careers after undergoing it. That his knee is still bothering him over a year later is unusual and “not a good sign,” according to Dr. Ochiai.
“The fact that he’s out for the year and they don’t have a clear plan, that means it’s a significant injury that may or may not respond to conservative treatments,” Dr. Ochiai said.
The results of Embiid’s exam haven’t been made public. “They don’t post MRI results on Twitter,” Dr. Ochiai joked. But presumably, the tear in Embiid’s meniscus was repaired. There are some common issues that could be causing continued pain for him.
“Meniscal tears oftentimes go hand-in-hand with articular cartilage injuries,” Dr. Ochiai said.
Articular cartilage is a type of connective tissue that provides a smooth, low-friction surface. Dr. Ochiai compared it to the end of a chicken bone, “that drumstick shiny gray stuff attaches to another part of the chicken.” If there is damage to that area, then it will have to be repaired as well.
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Options for Joel Embiid
If Embiid’s issue is that he does have damage to his articular cartilage, then treatment options range from orthobiologic injections, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), to more invasive procedures like osteochondral implants, where healthy cartilage is transplanted to the damaged area.
Another potential complication that Embiid may be suffering is that his repaired meniscus is unable to function properly. In such cases, a meniscal transplant may be necessary. Lonzo Ball is one of the only NBA players to have successfully returned to the court after that procedure.
In Embiid’s case, the recovery could be more difficult than what Ball faced “because Embiid’s a bigger guy. Think about Lonzo Ball jumping around with a 50 pound backpack on his back. You’re putting more pressure on your knee.”
Ball underwent the transplant surgery in March of 2023 and was able to get back in time for the Bulls’ training camp 18 months later. Dr. Ochiai thinks that is a reasonable estimate for Embiid as well if he does opt for that route.
Can Joel Embiid return to MVP form?
The big question that everyone is wondering is whether or not Embiid, who turns 31 on March 16, can get back to where he was a few seasons ago. Dr. Ochiai considers himself an optimist in general, but he is skeptical on the chances of that happening.
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“If the problem is solved, whether through surgery, injections, whatever, I think he can get back to a high level. I don’t think he can get back to the level he was at before. Because you’re also competing against other people who are elite athletes. Are you going to be as elite as other guys who are trying to be the best basketball player in the world? I think that would be unlikely.”
The mental toll of the injury is also significant. Embiid himself acknowledged the emotional hardship before the season in an interview with the New York Times.
“You’re on your way to accomplish a lot of good things, and then just like that someone falls on your knee. I don’t have any explanation for why it was so tough, but it just was … Mentally depressing, physically your body not responding the way it should.”
The reality is that even with successful treatment, Embiid will be facing an uphill battle against time, deconditioning, and the relentless competition of the NBA. However, assuming no further setbacks, Dr. Ochiai believes that Embiid could potentially play for several more years.
Ultimately, Embiid’s return to the court hinges on the precise nature of his injury and the effectiveness of the chosen treatment. The lack of clarity from the Sixers suggests a complex situation that will take time and patience to resolve.
