Joel Embiid’s Injury-Plagued Career
Joel Embiid started his NBA career by missing two full seasons while recovering from surgery on his right foot. In the following eight seasons, he has missed more than 130 additional games to injury.
March 28, 2018
Suffers a concussion and left orbital fracture, missing 10 games, but returning for the playoffs.
April 25, 2024
After scoring a playoff career-high 50 points in a playoff victory over the Knicks, Embiid says he has a mild case of Bell’s palsy, which has affected the muscles on the left side of his face.
April 28, 2022
Suffers a concussion and right orbital fracture in a series-clinching playoff win against the Toronto Raptors. He misses the first two games of the playoff series against the Heat.
April 20, 2022
Sustains a ligament tear in his right thumb during a playoff win against the Raptors, but does not miss a game in the series.
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Feb. 26, 2020
Misses 5 games with a left shoulder sprain.
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Feb. 1, 2024
Misses 29 games after surgery for a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee. Embiid had missed 5 other games earlier in the season for left knee soreness.
Jan. 9, 2020
Misses 9 games with a torn radial collateral ligament of his left ring finger.
Jan. 20, 2017
Misses 18 of the next 19 games with a bone bruise of his left knee. He later misses the last 23 games of the season with a meniscus tear of the same knee.
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June 20, 2014
Undergoes surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot shortly before the 2014 NBA draft. The Sixers select Embiid with the third pick, but he misses the entire 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
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Feb. 20, 2019
Misses 8 games with tendinitis of his left knee.
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March 12, 2021
Misses 10 games with a bone bruise of his left knee.
Dec. 25, 2023
Misses 4 games with a sprained right ankle.
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May 31, 2021
Misses one playoff game with a lateral meniscus tear of his right knee.
Nov. 19, 2022
Misses four games with a left mid-foot sprain, plus three more games in January.
April 20, 2023
Misses the last game of a playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets with a sprained right knee.
Photo by Yong Kim / Staff Photographer
John Duchneskie / Staff Artist
Joel Embiid’s Injury-Plagued Career
Joel Embiid started his NBA career by missing two full seasons while recovering from surgery on his right foot. In the following eight seasons, he has missed more than 130 additional games to injury.
10
3
15
6
9
5
12
Yong Kim /
Staff Photographer
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2
7
8
13
4
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11
June 20, 2014
1
Undergoes surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot shortly before the 2014 NBA draft. The Sixers select Embiid with the third pick, but he misses the entire 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.
Jan. 20, 2017
2
Misses 18 of the next 19 games with a bone bruise of his left knee. He later misses the last 23 games of the season with a meniscus tear of the same knee.
March 28, 2018
3
Suffers a concussion and left orbital fracture, missing 10 games, but returning for the playoffs.
Feb. 20, 2019
4
Misses 8 games with tendinitis of his left knee.
Jan. 9, 2020
5
Misses 9 games with a torn radial collateral ligament of his left ring finger.
Feb. 26, 2020
6
Misses 5 games with a left shoulder sprain.
March 12, 2021
7
Misses 10 games with a bone bruise of his left knee.
May 31, 2021
8
Misses one playoff game with a lateral meniscus tear of his right knee.
April 20, 2022
9
Sustains a ligament tear in his right thumb during a playoff win against the Raptors, but does not miss a game in the series.
April 28, 2022
10
Suffers a concussion and right orbital fracture in a series-clinching playoff win against the Toronto Raptors. He misses the first two games of the playoff series against the Heat.
Nov. 19, 2022
11
Misses four games with a left mid-foot sprain, plus three more games in January.
April 20, 2023
12
Misses the last game of a playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets with a sprained right knee.
Dec. 25, 2023
13
Misses 4 games with a sprained right ankle.
Feb. 1, 2024
14
Misses 29 games after surgery for a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee. Embiid had missed 5 other games earlier in the season for left knee soreness.
April 25, 2024
15
After scoring a playoff career-high 50 points in a playoff victory over the Knicks, Embiid says he has a mild case of Bell’s palsy, which has affected the muscles on the left side of his face.
John Duchneskie / Staff Artist
