Joel Embiid: Likely Finished Participating in Consecutive Games
Philadelphia 76ers center and former league Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid stated that it is likely he will never participate in consecutive NBA games again.
The 30-year-old, who was sidelined by the team on Sunday for the remainder of the preseason due to his troublesome knee, made these remarks to ESPN.
According to Embiid, "If I had to estimate, I would probably not play back-to-backs for the rest of my career," as told to ESPN.
This idea is supported by 76ers general manager Daryl Morey, who also mentioned that this could be the case for new addition Paul George.
"We will be wise about it," Morey told ESPN. "Part of being wise about it is having both Paul and Joel likely not participate in many, if any, back-to-back games."
Embiid recently revealed that he lost 25 to 30 pounds during the offseason in order to alleviate pressure on his knee. He will continue to wear a brace on his left knee.
"It is the right decision, and it will provide me with the necessary support for the rest of my career," Embiid told ESPN. "For me, it is a mental challenge. I despised it. (But) I began to tell myself, 'Okay, I must do it, that is the only way they will allow me to play.'"
Philadelphia will kick off the regular season on October 23 against the Milwaukee Bucks at home.
Last season, Embiid only played in 39 regular-season games, mostly due to his problematic left knee.
On January 30, Embiid was injured in a collision with Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. He underwent surgery to repair his meniscus on February 6 and struggled through the playoffs after returning to the court.
In the regular season, Embiid was exceptional, averaging 34.7 points and 11 rebounds and earning his seventh consecutive All-Star selection.
He was named the NBA MVP for the 2022-23 season after averaging 33.1 points and 10.2 rebounds in 66 games. He is a two-time scoring champion and also won a gold medal with Team USA in the Olympics this summer.
Overall, Embiid has career averages of 27.9 points and 11.2 rebounds in 433 games over eight seasons.
