Joel Embiid is doing things this season that, frankly, many of us weren’t sure we’d see again. After a dominant MVP campaign in 2023 and an even better-though injury-shortened-run in 2024, last year felt like the wheels had come off, both for Embiid and for the Sixers as a whole.
The vibes were off. The results were worse.
And when Philadelphia added Paul George-yes, a veteran deep into his career-on a massive contract, it felt more like a desperate swing than a calculated move.
But here we are, and something’s shifting.
Despite the literal piles of snow around Philly, there’s a warmth returning to the Sixers’ season. And it starts, as it always has in this era, with Embiid.
Let’s start with the numbers. In 12 games since the calendar flipped to 2026, Embiid is putting up 28 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists per night.
That’s not just solid production-it’s elite efficiency, especially when you factor in how often he’s getting to the line and how much attention he commands every time he touches the ball. He’s back to being the gravitational force that makes this team go.
But he’s not doing it alone. Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe is already showing signs of being a foundational piece.
His poise, vision, and ability to impact the game on both ends have been a revelation. Tyrese Maxey?
He’s headed to the All-Star Game as a starter, and it’s not just a popularity contest-he’s earned it. And then there’s Paul George, who turned back the clock in Tuesday’s win over Milwaukee, dropping 32 points and hitting nine threes in a performance that looked straight out of 2016.
Still, as much as the supporting cast is stepping up, it’s Embiid who’s reshaping the narrative. After years of playoff heartbreak, missed games, and constant scrutiny-both nationally and in his own backyard-he’s once again the emotional and physical centerpiece of a team with real aspirations.
And yes, the skepticism is still there. You don’t have to scroll far on social media to find fans venting about Embiid’s injuries or the team’s inability to get past the second round.
That frustration is earned. Monday’s blowout loss to Charlotte, with both Embiid and George sidelined, was a stark reminder of how fragile this whole thing can be.
When the stars sit, the floor drops out fast. There’s a real fear that one more injury could send this team spiraling.
But there’s also something liberating about leaning back into the hope. Even if it’s foolish.
Even if we’ve been here before. There’s a certain joy in letting yourself believe again, in watching Embiid carve up defenses like he’s done for years and thinking, “Maybe this time, it’s different.”
Because through all the roster changes, the coaching shifts, and the endless Process debates, Embiid has been the constant. He was the pick that came out of the original tank. He’s survived wave after wave of co-stars, battled through injuries that could’ve derailed his career, and still-on any given night-he’s capable of putting up 30 with the kind of ease that only the game’s elite possess.
No one’s pretending this team is a lock for June. The Finals still feel like a distant dream.
But spring is coming. And with it, the chance to wear your favorite throwback jersey, catch a game at the arena, and believe-however cautiously-that this team might just have one more run in them.
For Sixers fans, that belief is familiar. It’s been tested.
It’s been burned. But right now, it’s alive again.
And that, in itself, is worth something.