Philadelphia 76ers coach Nick Nurse thought Joel Embiid should have been an All-Star this season. He even said that he heard buzz that the 2023 MVP will make it among reserves based on the way he’s been playing in the month on January.
However, no Embiid was announced by the NBA. They still got one in Tyrese Maxey who was named a starter.
Embiid is not sulking. Instead, he is looking at it in a different way.
“I think it’s the first time I can go on a sort of vacation with my family during All-Star break, because the last few years I’ve been hurt,” he said.
“So, yeah, that’ll be fun to kind of take a step back and yeah, but for me, I’ve already accomplished everything. There’s only one thing missing for me. As a basketball player, there’s only one thing missing (a championship), and that’s all I care about.”
This is the only the third time in Embiid’s career that he will not be in the NBA’s February hoops festivities. He is an All-Star from 2018 to 2024. He spent most of the 2025 season injured and an ASG call up was not in the books.
He is currently averaging 26.1 points although he has played just 29 games so far.
Joel Embiid needs no validation
Those who will not be in Los Angeles from February 13 to 15 means they will get around a full week rest. That’s how Embiid is looking at it instead.
He also said that he is not obsessed about the ASG as he believes it won’t diminish what he accomplished.
“I don’t need any validation from anybody. I’m happy where I’m at. I’m excited to be playing every night. If that didn’t happen, who cares? I get a week of rest anyways,” he said.
“I got an ankle thing going on that I got to rest anyway. So, I’m happy.”
Sixers will play the New York Knicks on February 12, a day before the ASG. They will return after a full week to play the Atlanta Hawks on February 19.
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