Philadelphia 76ers fans hardly saw any of Joel Embiid last season, and he only participated in 19 games total.
His knee problems continued to plague him and hold him back, even when his team needed him the most.
Speaking about Embiid, 76ers teammate Nicolas Batum opened up about how bad his knee truly was.
“I saw his knee before every game, after every game… I have no idea how he could even walk,” Batum said, via Legion Hoops.
Nic Batum on Joel Embiid’s knee injury:
“I saw his knee before every game, after every game… I have no idea how he could even walk.”
Damn.
(via @YNGNKL) pic.twitter.com/KqzE1pNVzg
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 16, 2025
Batum’s statement makes it clear: Embiid was not in good shape at all last year.
He produced an average of 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds during his 19 games, which is a far cry from the 34.7 points and 11.0 rebounds he had the year before.
During every game, he looked pained and not quite himself.
And now the question is, when will he be truly healthy?
Embiid recently said that he hopes to return to the court sooner rather than later, but didn’t give a solid timeline about coming back.
Because of that, Sixers fans are already expecting him to miss some of 2025-26.
Hopefully, he won’t be off the court for too long because Embiid remains the most important player for the team.
Without him, their chances of postseason success dwindle, just like they did last year.
Last season featured a ton of injuries, not only to Embiid.
They are hoping to have a lot more luck in the new season and want to see Embiid and the rest of his teammates healthy and ready to play.
Embiid has been off his feet for a long time, seemingly recovering and rehabilitating.
If he isn’t ready when 2025-26 kicks off, a lot of people will have some very serious questions about his long-term plans.
NEXT: Insider Reveals Glaring Concern About 76ers
