Joel Embiid Hits Major Milestones, Cementing His Legacy in Philadelphia
Wednesday night started with a familiar sight: Joel Embiid calmly stepping into a three-pointer from the top of the key. It gave the Sixers a brief one-point lead over the Cavaliers-but more importantly, it pushed Embiid to 13,000 career points in a Philadelphia uniform. That’s not just a round number-it’s a milestone that, at several points in his career, felt almost impossible.
And that wasn’t the only number that told a story. In the same game, Embiid also crossed the 15,000-minute mark in a Sixers jersey.
Those two milestones-13,000 points and 15,000 minutes-officially place him among the franchise’s all-time greats. He now ranks top ten in scoring and top twenty in minutes played for one of the NBA’s most storied teams.
That’s a long way from the uncertainty that surrounded him when he was drafted back in 2014.
A Career That Almost Wasn’t
Let’s rewind for a second. Embiid didn’t play a single NBA game his first two seasons.
Multiple surgeries and a long recovery process for lower body injuries left fans wondering if they’d ever see him on the court. Since then, his journey has been anything but smooth.
He’s battled injuries to just about every part of his body-back, knees, feet, shoulder, hand, face-you name it.
Out of 941 possible regular season games since he was drafted, Embiid has suited up for just 473. That’s a little over half. And yet, despite all that missed time, he’s still managed to etch his name into the Sixers’ record books.
That’s what makes his story so remarkable. The injuries have made Embiid one of the league’s biggest “what ifs”-what if he had been healthy all along?
What if the Sixers had gotten a full decade of prime Embiid? Maybe the banners would look different.
Maybe those Game 7 heartbreaks would’ve ended in champagne and confetti.
But here’s the thing: even with all the setbacks, Embiid’s resume is packed with greatness.
The Numbers Speak for Themselves
He’s scored 70 in a game. Dropped 50 or more eight separate times. After winning MVP, he came back the next season and, over nearly 40 games, was on pace to average more points than minutes played-a feat that only Wilt Chamberlain has pulled off in league history.
That’s not just dominance. That’s historic.
And while the version of Embiid we see today might not be quite the same one who was steamrolling through defenders two years ago, he’s still a force. At 31, the wear and tear is showing, but the skill, the footwork, the basketball IQ-it’s all still there. The All-Star nods (seven and counting), the Olympic gold, the signature pump fakes and celebrations-they’re all part of the package.
The Torch Hasn’t Been Dropped-It’s Being Shared
Tyrese Maxey’s emergence has been a bright spot for the Sixers, and it’s clear the franchise is starting to shift toward its next chapter. But Embiid hasn’t stepped aside-he’s still very much in the mix. He’s still anchoring the defense, still drawing double teams, still shimmying through pick-and-rolls like only he can.
And maybe that’s the most impressive part of all this. Through the injuries, the missed time, the playoff heartbreaks, and the shifting landscape of the team, Embiid has stayed the course.
He’s still here. Still producing.
Still doing things that, a decade ago, felt like longshots.
So while the Sixers continue their search for postseason glory, let’s not overlook what we’re witnessing: a generational talent who, against all odds, has carved out a legacy that will live in Philadelphia basketball history for a long, long time.