Joel Embiid returned Tuesday night after missing 29 games following meniscus surgery, and the 76ers won — something they did only 11 times while he was out.
Talking about his recovery, Embiid said this one was more mentally challenging than previous injuries. Here’s what Embiid said, via Noah Levick at NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“For some reason, this one was disappointing, it was depressing,” he said. “It took me a while to get over it and I still haven’t gotten over it. Just got to take it day by day, look at the positive. I’m back, so hopefully things will get better and I’ll get back to myself.”
What got him through it was family.
“Just looking at their faces, my wife and young (son) Arthur,” he said. “Waking up every single day, taking him to school, picking him up, playing with him all day. That kind of takes your mind away from everything that’s going on. And then obviously, watching the games at night, you get pissed off because you feel like you could help and you could do something.
“But it’s all about family. Basketball obviously means a lot, and I love it and I love to play. It’s the best thing for me. But family also comes first, and that’s the thing that got me through it.”
Embiid felt the love from Philadelphia fans upon his return, including Sixers legend Allen Iverson.
THE PROCESS 🤝 THE ANSWER
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 3, 2024
Nothing but love between these two Philly legends. pic.twitter.com/0h4diiNOI8
The NBA league office is looking into Embiid’s return, something Jared Greenberg discussed on the TNT broadcast. Embiid was listed as “out” for the game 24 hours before tip-off and Tuesday morning, when he was not at shootaround. However, just before 6 p.m. Eastern the 76ers changed his status to available. The NBA — especially with its ties to legalized gambling — is very big on transparency about what players are and are not available to play in a game, the Sixers appear to have violated that procedure. It wouldn’t be the first time, the Sixers were fined $75,000 as an organization earlier this season for their reporting of Embiid’s status for a game.
