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Joel Embiid took a dig at his critics while speaking to the media after his fantastic comeback against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Embiid last played for the Philadelphia 76ers on February 22 during the 2024-25 season. He missed the rest of the season after undergoing an arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
Embiid made a comeback on Friday, playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Philadelphia's final game of the preseason. The 76ers won 126-110 as the 2023 MVP recorded 14 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, and three steals.
Speaking after the game, Embiid was questioned about his playmaking abilities as he made several outlet passes, helping his team to control the pace with easy baskets. While answering, he fired shots at his critics, citing their view of how he is not a top-100 player in the NBA.
“According to a lot of your peers, I’m not even a top 100 basketball player in the league,” Embiid said. “So, I guess I just gotta fit in and see where I can help the team win basketball games. If that’s playing defense, stretching the floor, that’s what I’m going to do.”
The media have largely counted out Joel Embiid in light of his continuous injuries that have held him back from achieving substantial postseason success in Philadelphia. Going into his 10th season in the league, he has yet to lead the side past the conference semifinals.
He was still highly rated after winning the MVP award in 2023. But several major publications have ranked Embiid below his ranking ahead of last season. ESPN's list for the 2025-26 season has seen him fall from No.8 to No.47. Meanwhile, The Ringer did not list the 76ers center on its list of top 100 players in the NBA ahead of the new season.
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