After participating in only 19 games during the 2024-25 season, Joel Embiid was sidelined for the remainder of the year at the end of February. Despite the pain management strategies and injections employed by the team, his surgically-repaired left knee continued to cause him issues. Now, Embiid is exploring alternative treatments, which may include surgery, as he eyes his return.
What does Joel Embiid’s year look like in the light of his knee injury?
Embiid underwent surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his left knee on February 2, 2024, a common operation that many NBA players recover from successfully. However, his knee continued to cause him distress more than a year later, which may indicate potential problems. Experts widely believe that if his articular cartilage is damaged, treatment might include less invasive options like orthobiologic injections, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), or more extensive procedures like osteochondral implants, where healthy cartilage is transplanted into the affected area.
Another possible complication for Embiid is that his repaired meniscus may not be functioning correctly, which could necessitate a meniscal transplant. A good example is Lonzo Ball, the NBA player who successfully returned to play after such a procedure. For Embiid, the recovery might prove more challenging since Ball is physically bigger.
A major surgery also takes a mental and emotional toll on an athlete. Embiid himself acknowledged the emotional hardship before the season in an interview. “You’re on your way to accomplish a lot of good things, and then just like that someone falls on your knee. I don’t have any explanation for why it was so tough, but it just was … Mentally depressing, physically your body not responding the way it should.”
However, assuming no further setbacks, Embiid could potentially play for several more years. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday that the Sixers and Embiid are “consulting doctors and considering alternative options on his injured knee.
In the last two losses for the Sixers, Embiid has scored 29 points while shooting 7-for-22. During Saturday’s game against Brooklyn, he did not play in the fourth quarter, with Guerschon Yabusele taking over the center position during the team’s comeback effort.
