After ongoing injuries prevented Joel Embiid from making his NBA debut for two years after he was drafted, the Sixers phenom showcased that immense potential in 31 games for Philly this season, averaging 20 points and seven rebounds in limited minutes. He was the runaway favorite for Rookie of the Year, but yet another knee issue cut his inaugural season short.
The organization announced earlier this week that Embiid would undergo surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee, and on Friday they announced that the procedure was indeed successful. Additionally, the Sixers provided a general timetable for when he might resume basketball activities.
Sixers announce Joel Embiid underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his knee: pic.twitter.com/CTktO5idKJ
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) March 25, 2017
The team has taken a cautious approach with Embiid throughout his various ordeals, and it’s likely that they’ll continue to do this. With the Sixers’ season coming to a close, there’s no rush for the franchise’s star to return to action before he’s ready. He’ll have the entire offseason to recuperate. It appears he’s already off to a good start in that department, as evidenced by this good-spirited post-op pic uploaded to his Instagram story.
Still, plenty of people are wondering whether Embiid will ever be able to reach his full potential. The 23-year-old from Cameroon has youth on his side, so only time will tell whether he can eventually evolve into the player Philadelphia hoped they were getting when they took him with the third pick in the 2014 Draft.
