Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid has dealt with more injury adversity than nearly any other player in NBA history at this point in his career. Foot fractures, meniscus tears and more had left fans worried about whether the Sixers' center would ever be able to return to his MVP self, or if Embiid was going to have to change his playstyle to match any new limitations.
This fear reached new highs after news of yet another knee surgery in April 2025 by Dr. Jonathan Glashow following an injury-riddled 2024-2025 campaign that saw Embiid only play in 19 games. However, despite starting the 2025-2026 season a little slow, Joel Embiid has seemingly returned to his former status as the best scoring big man in the NBA.
Since the beginning of the new year, Embiid has simply been one of the best players in the NBA, let alone his own team. After averaging only 19.4 points and 5.3 rebounds in October and November combined, Embiid has exploded in 2026.
The former Jayhawk is averaging a whopping 29.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.5 assists on 53.0% shooting from the floor. His scoring average currently sits at fourth among all players since the start of 2026 (minimum two games played), trailing only guards Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
It is also worth noting that it appears that Embiid, the most dominant scoring big man of his generation, is only heating up. In his past eight games, Embiid has averaged a jaw-dropping 32.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists while shooting 51.8% from the field and 52.0% from beyond the arc.
This all culminated in Embiid’s dominant 37-point game against the Sacramento Kings, where he not only beat the Kings with his scoring but also with his passing. Embiid, who finished the game with eight assists, got the game-winning assist in the closing second of the game, opting to pass to a cutting Maxey for a layup and one on Philadelphia's final possession. Immediately following his performance against the Kings, Embiid exploded for a season-high 40-point game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
While the Sixers are still far from a perfect team, sitting at 26-21 on the season, Joel Embiid is one of the key reasons for hope at this point for the year. Joel Embiid's recapturing of his MVP form could not have come at a better time for the Sixers, either.
With Paul George being suspended for 25 games for violating the anti-drug policy, the Sixers need Embiid to propel this team forward in his absence. With his recent play and Tyrese Maxey’s metamorphosis into a true superstar talent this season, the Sixers could still afford to make some noise this postseason, despite Embiid being snubbed from the All-Star team this season.
