Joel Embiid is an incredible star player for the Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately, his injuries kept him out for a long time throughout his career. This led people like Jeff Teague to count him because of his poor health.
For the past decade, Joel Embiid has been one of the best players in the NBA. He proved he could do it on both ends as a defensive anchor and an explosive scorer. Embiid has acclaimed his regular season MVP headlined in 2023 and praised him accordingly.
Unfortunately, Embiid is getting more lucky after being injured by himself and his teammates. That’s why the Philadelphia 76ers haven’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals once while in office. The injury issue was constant on the 76ers’ side, even heading for the 2025-26 season.
With Embiid’s constant problem, some people are beginning to give up on him. This includes former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague. Jeff Teague feels that Emvid may have a discolored legacy.
Throughout his career, Embiid missed 400 regular season games in Philadelphia. That’s the number of games, but that’s usually the case for injury-prone stars. Almost everyone in the NBA community knows that Embiid is one of the most talented players in basketball.
Unfortunately, the constant injury issues are hampering his legacy. Over the years he has suffered many lower body injuries, including damage to orbital bones and meniscus. However, he has problems with other parts of his body, including back issues, shoulder problems, and torn ligaments in his hand.
In his missed game, Embiid is at risk of becoming a future “what if” story. Many will recognize his talent, but he may become a warning story.
“Get your chicken. He certainly finished three years later. But he missed so many games. He missed a first year or something,” Teague said on the Club 520 podcast.
“The boy is by no means 70 games. He can’t make a Hall of Fame.
Despite struggling to stay healthy, the peak Embiid introduced is out of this world. There are very few players who fit this into modern times. He already has an MVP under his belt, so it can still boost his reputation.
He’s always faced with injuries, but he still managed to become a top player. Embiid is still dealing with the issues ahead of the 2025-26 season, but he was able to easily return to his level. If he played well he could dispel the pessimistic people who spoke about Embiid.
The Eastern Conference is open to the public from 2025 to 26, so some people feel that the 76ers have no excuses. They have Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and the motivated Paul George along with Embiid. This is a Nick Nurse-led team that could turn into a dark horse and catch everyone off guard.
If Embiid can lead his team to the NBA Finals run, it will secure his spot among the greatest of all time. It is a great honor for him to reach Hall of Fame, as he deserves recognition.