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Joel Embiid Gives Personal Health Update During 76ers Media Day

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 11:59 AM ET

Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid has had one of the most unique rises to the top that the sports world has ever seen.

He picked up a basketball for the first time when he was sixteen years old, so his development was slow and challenging, but he eventually transformed into one of the game’s best players.

Nobody has ever denied his talent, but injuries have kept him away for large portions of time for his entire career. After all, Embiid didn’t play a single game during his first two seasons, when he endured a foot fracture that didn’t heal properly.

Now entering his 12th season in the league, the Cameroonian big man still deals with much of the same issues, currently dealing with the effects of a knee injury he suffered against the New York Knicks nearly 18 months ago.

The 76ers held its team media day on Friday and Embiid gave a glimpse into how his recovery is going and what his availability will look like this season.

“I think going forward we’re just going to listen to the body. I’ll be honest and say it’s going to be unpredictable at times, and that’s okay. We’re going to work with that,” said Embiid.

Embiid: "I think going forward we're just going to listen to the body. I'll be honest and say it's going to be unpredictable at times, and that's okay. We're going to work with that."
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) September 26, 2025

The former MVP has played through injuries constantly in his career, with every playoff run he’s ever been on being hampered by ailments.

The list of injuries Embiid has played through is truly remarkable – from torn meniscuses, to orbital fractures and flu-like symptoms – the 76ers star has battled through it all.

The quote likely signifies that his health is a fluid situation, especially considering that the team hasn’t given any concrete updates on his status for most of the last year.

This is perhaps the most pivotal season Philadelphia has faced as Embiid and forward Paul George work back from injuries that kept them out for the majority of the 2024-25 campaign.

George joined the team last offseason, whom they considered the final piece to a contending team, but the true results fell incredibly short.

With the Eastern Conference being wide open, the 76ers feel they have a great chance to compete, so hopefully Embiid and George can stay on the court.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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