Nicolas Batum revealed details about Joel Embiid’s knee issues
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has seen his career hampered by numerous debilitating injuries. Recently, it was revealed just how severe his most recent knee injury truly is.
Embiid has been on and off the court due to knee issues stemming from a torn meniscus during the 2023-24 season. ESPN’s Dotun Akintoye recently spoke with Embiid, and former 76er Nicolas Batum, who played with Embiid in Philadelphia during that same season. In Akintoye’s story, Batum revealed shocking details regarding the severity of Embiid’s injury throughout the season.
“I was sitting next to him in the locker room,” Batum told Akintoye. “I saw his knee before every game, after every game. I saw his knee. I have no idea how he could even walk.”
Embiid only appeared in 39 games in 2023-24 due to the injury, and somehow managed to play through it in the playoffs. The 76ers would go on to lose in the first round to the New York Knicks.
The following season, Embiid appeared in just 19 games, and looked like a shell of his former MVP self. He averaged 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in those 19 appearances. As a result, the 76ers won just 24 games, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Next season will prove to be an important one for Embiid and the 76ers. Health pending, the team should be back in playoff contention with a healthy Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George. Philadelphia is also hopeful that Embiid can return closer to the version of himself that he was two seasons ago when he was an undisputed top-3 player in the NBA.
Category: Basketball
