Joel Embiid Undergoing Surgery for Appendicitis Leaves Fans In Disbelief – “Strangest Medical History of Any NBA Player”

Joel Embiid's medical history is now longer than his list of accomplishments despite having the talent to be one of the best ever.

Joel Embiid Undergoing Surgery for Appendicitis Leaves Fans In Disbelief – “Strangest Medical History of Any NBA Player”

76ers center Joel Embiid (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will undergo surgery in Houston.
  • His injury history continues to raise concerns among fans regarding his availability for the playoffs.
  • The Philadelphia 76ers' chances for a deep playoff run are significantly diminished without Embiid's presence.

It has been three full years since Joel Embiid won the league’s regular-season MVP award. Since then, fans have been wanting to see the Philadelphia 76ers center follow it up with a run for the title.

That, sadly, has not happened. The Cameroon-French-American has not been able to stay healthy enough to go through a full season where he is eligible for any end-of-season awards.

Sure, he earned an All-Star call-up in 2024, but that was the last time basketball fans saw him deservedly earn an accomplishment. That is because he has not been able to stay on the court.

His knee issue was a major talking point, even though he battled through it to play for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. There were times when he claimed that the Sixers were not helping him recover completely.

Then this season, he finally seemed to have listened to calls from former teammates to reduce weight, and he was playing at a high level.

Despite that, he still has not played half of the games this season. With three games left, there was a chance for him to change that narrative, but now, that possibility is also out of the window.

76ers star Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with appendicitis and will undergo surgery this afternoon in Houston.

Shams Charania revealed on X

It seems the 32-year-old will again end a season on the injury report, rather than helping his playoff hopeful team battle for a deep run.

Fans shake their heads after Joel Embiid’s news

There was a time when basketball fans would direct their ire at Joel Embiid for his intentional load-management techniques. They blamed him for pushing the NBA to introduce the controversial 65-game rule.

Many a good player this season has been denied the chance to add an accomplishment to their name, and fans have long believed the Sixers’ center is the primary reason.

But now, after this appendicitis news, they feel that the father of one has had nothing but bad luck since winning that MVP award. Check out examples of those reactions below.

Joel Embiid did try his best to help alleviate the stress on his knees this season by shedding a lot of weight. But appendicitis is something that no one has any control over, and that is why fans were feeling bad for him.

Sixers’ playoff chances without Joel Embiid are slim

The Philadelphia 76ers did have a productive campaign this time. After last season’s disappointment, largely driven by injuries to Joel Embiid and Paul George, the team has found some balance this season.

Sixers need Joel Embiid if they are to enjoy a deep playoff run
Sixers need Joel Embiid if they are to enjoy a deep playoff run (Image via 76ers/X)

The addition of rookie VJ Edgecombe and the return to health of George and Embiid helped them surge up the standings. But again, injuries to their superstar center and George’s suspension compounded matters.

Now that the latter is back, the hope is that their seven-time All-Star can also make a swift recovery and return to the court in time to help them in the playoffs.

Appendicitis surgeries usually take one to six weeks to completely recover, depending on the complexity of the surgery. Since they admitted him for one while the team is in Houston, it seems they do not want to take a chance of extending this problem.

With the first round starting on April 19th, the Sixers might be hoping that they can fight their way to the second round, by which time Embiid can return to play. Otherwise, they do not have a chance to go deeper than that.

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