Joel Embiid has plenty of bulletin-board material heading into a season the Philadelphia 76ers are treating as a title-or-bust run.
ESPN’s latest player rankings put the former MVP at No. 41, a placement that landed like a slap for a star who has already spent years carrying the weight of Philadelphia’s expectations. It is also six spots higher than where he was ranked last year, though that hardly softens the blow when the names ahead of him include Stephon Castle, Jalen Duren, Amen Thompson, and Alperen Sengun.
ESPN did not spell out exactly why Embiid ended up that low, but the obvious concern is his health and availability. That part of the conversation is fair enough. The ranking itself, though, is hard to square with what Embiid showed last season when he was on the floor.
When healthy, Embiid still looked like the NBA’s premier post scorer, piling up huge numbers and reminding everyone just how difficult he is to deal with one-on-one. He also came back from an appendectomy late in the year and helped fuel Philadelphia’s historic comeback against the Celtics after the 76ers fell behind 3-1 in their first-round series. He faded in the second round, but even then it was clear he remained the best player on the roster.
That matters now because Embiid still looks like the biggest swing factor for Philadelphia, even with the addition of two other All-NBA cogs in LeBron James and Jaylen Brown. If he is at least 90 percent healthy, he gives the 76ers a true mismatch machine in the post, the kind of force no one can comfortably handle alone.
For Embiid, the challenge is simple: turn the noise into fuel. The ranking is out there.
The slight is real. And if he uses it to drive a dominant two-way season, the 76ers should be that much closer to the goal they have in mind.
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LeBron Just Addressed The Joel Embiid Question In Philadelphia
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The larger issue, of course, is the one that has shadowed this core for years: getting past the second round. Any scenario involving James in Philadelphia naturally raises the stakes around Embiid, because the fit would immediately reshape the teams ceiling and its path through the East. For now, the discussion lives in possibility, but it is the kind of possibility that keeps the 76ers at the center of league speculation. [Read more 🡒]
LeBron's Lakers Return Just Became Must Watch For Sixers Fans
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For Sixers fans, the intrigue only deepens because James is expected to explain the decision himself on an upcoming episode of his podcast with Steve Nash. Between the emotional exit from the Lakers and the chance to hear why Philadelphia was the choice, this is the kind of cross-country NBA drama that will keep both fan bases tuned in. [Read more 🡒]