Joel Embiid has been a fantastic star player for the Philadelphia 76ers. Unfortunately, his injuries have kept him out for an extended period throughout his career. This has led people like Jeff Teague to count him out due to his declining health.
Over the past decade, Joel Embiid has been one of the NBA’s best players. He has proven that he can do it on both ends, as a defensive anchor and an explosive scorer. Embiid has the accolades to go along with that, headlined by his regular-season MVP in 2023.
Unfortunately, Embiid has rotten luck with injuries to himself and his teammates. That is why the Philadelphia 76ers have not reached the Eastern Conference Finals once during his tenure. The injury troubles have been a constant thorn in the 76ers’ side, even heading into the 2025-26 season.
With Embiid’s constant issues, some people are starting to give up on him. This includes former NBA All-Star Jeff Teague, who feels Embiid might have a tarnished legacy.
Throughout his career, Embiid has missed 400 regular-season games for Philadelphia. That is a concerning number of games, but that is normally the case for the injury-prone star. Almost everyone in the NBA community knows Embiid is one of basketball’s most talented players.
Unfortunately, the constant injury issues have hampered his legacy. Through the years, he has suffered plenty of lower-body injuries, including damage to his orbital bones and meniscus. However, he has had trouble with other parts of his body, including back issues, shoulder trouble, and torn hand ligaments.
With his missed games, Embiid is in jeopardy of being a “What If” story in the future. Many will recognize his talents, but he might become a cautionary tale.
“Just get your chicken, brother. He’s done after these three years for sure. He missed so many games, though. He missed his whole first year or something,” Teague said on the Club 520 podcast.
“That boy ain’t never played 70 games. He might not make the Hall of Fame, bro. How many points did he score? 12,000 ain’t that many, I scored 10,000.”
Despite his struggles to stay healthy, the peak that Embiid showcased is out of this world. Few players can match that in the modern era, which could still lead to a Hall of Fame selection. He already has an MVP under his belt, so that can still boost his reputation.
He has constantly faced injury trouble, but he could still become a top player. Embiid is still dealing with issues ahead of the 2025-26 season, but he could easily return to his level. If he plays well, he could dispel the pessimistic people speaking about Embiid.
The Eastern Conference is wide open in the 2025-26 season, so some people feel the 76ers have no excuses. They have Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and a motivated Paul George alongside Embiid. This is a Nick Nurse-led team that could be a dark horse and could catch everyone off guard.
If Embiid can lead his team to an NBA Finals run, that could secure his spot among the all-time greats. It would be a massive honor for him to reach Hall of Fame status, as he deserves the recognition.
