The Philadelphia 76ers are off to a 1–3 start, due in large part to stars Joel Embiid and Paul George not yet playing due to injuries.
George played twice in the preseason, suffering a bone bruise in his hyperextended left knee during his second game. However, Embiid didn’t appear at all during the preseason while recovering from a left knee injury.
Between that and an injury history that’s limited him to an average of 54 games per season during his eight-year NBA career, fans and media have become skeptical regarding how much Embiid actually wants to play. That doubt is developing into a narrative as a 2024-25 season that carried championship expectations is off to an early disappointment.
Earlier this week, the Sixers were fined $100,000 by the NBA for making “inconsistent” statements about Embiid’s health status.
After practice on Friday, Embiid responded to growing fan and media dissatisfaction, pushing back against the notion that …