For all the accolades up and down Joel Embiid’s Basketball-Reference page — multiple scoring titles, a league MVP, All-Star appearances, and more — it is the most boring stat that has ultimately defined his last few seasons. 39 games played in 2023-24, 19 games in 2024-25, 38 games in 2025-26. It has pushed him down NBA player rankings and Philadelphia athlete lists, rendering him a punchline to some and a tragic tale for others. And it was, naturally, LeBron James’ one media day lament about his newest frontcourt partner.

“Jo is one of the most talented guys we have in the world,” LeBron said, “and obviously we all know that for him it’s just been about health. How can he stay healthy to be the best version of himself, be the best version of himself to be the best version of us as a team?”

The man within that oft-hobbled body is still very much capable of greatness, as evidenced by Embiid’s heroic return in April’s Celtics series, the veteran center sparking an improbable 3-1 comeback. Fresh off a bout with appendicitis, he averaged 28-9-7, dominating the back half of the series to steal a round back for Philly. Even in the aftermath of a second-round drubbing at the hands of the Knicks, Embiid was hopeful, noting to reporters that they’d figured out a plan to manage the knee that gave him confidence about the future.

As slimmer images of Embiid emerged throughout this summer, that future became clearer. So in classic Troell fashion, when he had a chance to talk at media day about his new physique, he responded to questions about his summer workouts by muddying the waters. 

“Nothing,” Embiid said when asked about his offseason routine. “Gained a lot of weight.”

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