Philadelphia 76ers: What's Going On With Joel Embiid?

The curious case of Joel Embiid continues.

Since being drafted No. 3 by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2014 NBA Draft, 76ers fans have anxiously been awaiting his return to the hardwood following the surgery he received on the navicular bone in his right foot.

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Although he was a raw prospect coming out of Kansas, Embiid’s rare athletic ability for his size, bevy of post moves and ability to knock down shots from anywhere on the court made him one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft.

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Embiid sitting out his rookie season was expected, considering the Sixers regime errs on the side of caution, but multiple reports surfaced towards the end of last season and heading into the offseason that Embiid had intensely ramped up his physical activity and was looking dominant during workouts.

The belief of many was that Embiid was going to be healthy enough to participate in NBA Summer League, but on Jun. 13, following a visit to Los Angeles for a series of exams, the Sixers released a statement that a standard CT scan “revealed less healing than anticipated at this point.”

Here is President of Basketball Operations and general manager Sam Hinkie’s statement from Jun. 13:

"“As part of the conservative approach focused on the long-term health, recovery and care of Joel, we have been closely monitoring his progress, regularly evaluating his status and adjusting our plans accordingly.“Recently, Joel and Sixers personnel traveled to Los Angeles for a series of routine exams with a number of physicians who have been actively involved throughout this process. During his visit with Dr. Richard Ferkel, a standard CT scan on Joel’s right foot revealed less healing than anticipated at this point.“Our priority remains providing Joel with every opportunity to ensure he has a long and successful NBA career, and as such, these findings cause us to pause and reassess his current activities. Together with Joel and his representatives, we will continue to consult with the experienced team of doctors who have been an integral part of his evaluations, while also engaging in dialogue with a broader set of experts and specialists.“Discussions regarding the appropriate next steps are currently ongoing and we will share an update once it becomes available.”"

On Jul. 11, the Sixers released a statement saying that Embiid re-broke the navicular bone in his right foot, which would require a second surgery, causing Embiid to miss a second straight season. The Sixers said that a surgical procedure would take place in the next “7-10 days.” Here’s Hinkie’s second statement:

"“As we previously communicated, we have spent the last several weeks working closely with Joel and his representatives to further evaluate Joel’s foot following the results of the most recent CT scan.“This included conference calls and in-person visits with renowned foot and ankle specialists from the United States (New York, North Carolina, Colorado, California and Pennsylvania) and internationally (Australia, the Netherlands and Qatar). This group of experts unanimously agreed that the routine CT scan in June did reveal less healing than anticipated, an unexpected result since Joel was not experiencing any foot pain.“We have been consistent in our philosophy that our focus will be Joel’s long-term health and wellness to ensure he will have a long and impactful career in the NBA. After receiving the input of the aforementioned medical experts, as well as conversations with Joel and his representatives, there was careful consideration given to a number of options related to this particular situation.“A collective decision has been made that the best approach to promote full healing would be to proceed with a bone graft of the fracture site. We anticipate the procedure will take place in the next 7-10 days and result in Joel missing the upcoming season.“We are still in the process of determining the doctor who will perform the procedure, which should be finalized in the coming days. Sixers Director of Performance Research and Development Dr. David T. Martin will outline and lead Joel’s rehab and recovery plan, in collaboration with a worldwide network of experts and specialists.”"

Front offices always keep things close to the vest, but a month has passed since that announcement and there hasn’t been a peep regarding Embiid’s condition. With every passing day, the situation becomes murkier. Questions need to be answered, especially considering the Sixers’ rebuild is largely dependent on the health of Embiid.

So what exactly is going on? Nobody knows. It is also mystery as to how or when Embiid re-injured his foot, but he certainly hasn’t kept himself out of the spotlight.

In late June, Embiid was seen riding a Phunkee Dunk in Philadelphia without a protective boot:

Embiid was also with the Sixers when they competed in the Utah and Las Vegas Summer Leagues. The team was especially shocked to see him in Las Vegas.

Then, in late July, TMZ spotted Embiid outside of a Chinese restaurant in Beverly Hills with Washington Wizards guard, John Wall. Embiid took a moment to answer a few questions and was again walking around without a boot and didn’t appear to be favoring his right foot.

Embiid’s camp has remained silent, but reports were that Embiid was experiencing no pain and felt fine before the CT scan showed that his foot wasn’t healing as expected.

Are Embiid and his representatives trying to avoid a second surgery? Time will tell, but until the Sixers release some information, speculation will certainly be swirling.

Next: Are The 2014-15 Golden State Warriors An All-Time Great Team?

Philadelphia 76ers: What Is Going On With Joel Embiid?

By Chase Senior | Aug 10, 2015

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