Philadelphia 76ers fans are looking forward to seeing All-Star center Joel Embiid back in action for the 2025-26 NBA season. Last year, he was limited to just 19 games and spent most of the time on the sidelines, dealing with knee issues. Heading into the new season, there were questions about how he’d perform given that he’s dealt with various lower-body injuries over the past few seasons.
In a recent practice session with the team, Embiid was filmed. His performance was posted online, and it left a strong impression on the media, the critics and the fans. Many believe that the Cameroonian center is back to his MVP form, with the way he dominated in the scrimmage.
There was an expectation that he’d become rusty, since he hadn’t played. The last time he was in action in the league was on Feb. 22, but he proved the doubters wrong and showed that he’s still one of the best players.
But it didn’t surprise head coach Nick Nurse. When he was interviewed after the team’s practice session, he told the media that he expected the media to be amazed by Joel Embiid.
“I was kind of prepared for that [crowd reaction] today,” the head coach said. “I knew this would be the first time you guys [the media] or the public would have seen him for a long time.
“And then he went out there and did his thing. He shot the ball well. He scored well. He orchestrated the offense well. I thought he ran pretty good, as well, both directions.”
Embiid is expected to be part of the team’s starting lineup on Oct. 22, against the Boston Celtics.
Joel Embiid could play as the power forward this season
The 76ers want to prolong Joel Embiid’s career, despite the injuries. One way to preserve it is with load management. However, that hasn’t helped as much, and he’s been criticized for it.
According to a report from Adam Aaronson of “Philly Voice,” there’s a chance that Embiid could play the power forward position. Moving him down a spot and putting upcoming sophomore big man Adem Bona at center seems logical.
“Nick Nurse seemed optimistic, talking about the idea of Joel Embiid and Adem Bona playing together,” Aaronson wrote. “ He said that in those lineups, Embiid is the four and Bona is the five. Highlighted high-low passing, rebounding and rim protection as areas where that pairing can thrive.”
It adds another body inside the paint, helping Embiid on both ends. Given that frontcourt players are prone to more physical plays, having two big men could help the big man’s job.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
