Joel Embiid and Yao Ming are two of the most dominant big men when healthy. That last part is the sad truth for both superstar players. When Yao joined the NBA, a lot of people were hesitant that he would be any good. Charles Barkley even went as far as saying he would kiss a donkey’s behind if Ming scored 19 points in any game during his rookie year. Embiid has been a two-way force throughout his career. During the 2023-24 season, before he got injured, he averaged more than a point per minute, a feat only Wilt Chamberlain has accomplished. The sad reality is that both might have one more thing in common: an early retirement.
Joel Embiid is on a Yao Ming Path
Ming was 30 years old when he finally called it quits. That 2010-11 season, he played in only five games for the Houston Rockets. He missed the previous year with an injury. Out of nine seasons in the league, he played in more than 57 games only four times. Eventually, his foot and knee injuries got the best of him.
Right now, Embiid looks like he might be on the same retirement path. According to a report by a Philadelphia 76ers insider, even Joel is aware that the end is near. Keith Pompey, of the Philly Inquirer, said,
“I think that Joel may know that the end is near. And this is just me saying. It is kind of like explaining to people what he has been going through. Rarely do you have a guy tell you how much pain and how much he is going through. I think Joel knows it might not be this season, but the end is near. I could be wrong. He could come out and have another MVP season. But that is my questioning why he is coming up with this article, when in the past, he always said I am good.”
“Rarely do you have a guy tell you how much pain he’s in and how much they’re going through.”@PompeyOnSixers tells @TheJaxShow and @DarthAmin he thinks Embiid could be hinting at something in his recent ESPN feature pic.twitter.com/620n9QQW5k
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) July 27, 2025
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The article Pompey is referring to is a long and deep article by ESPN, in which Joel openly and honestly talks about every injury and everything he is going through. In that article, he mentioned that this might be the first time they have no timeline for his return to the court following an injury.
How Have Injuries Derailed Embiid’s Career?
Even before he stepped foot on an NBA court, Joel had to go through a devastating injury to repair a stress fracture of the navicular bone in his right foot. That happened before the NBA draft, and he missed the entire 2014-15 season. There were reports he suffered a setback, and he re-broke the bone, requiring another surgery that also forced him out all of 2015-16. During his “rookie season”, he injured his knee and played in only 31 games.
After several rather healthy seasons, freak accidents led to knee problems. The first one came in the 2021 playoffs, after he took an awkward fall, suffering a partially torn meniscus in his right knee. In January 2024, an awkward play led to Jonathan Kuminga falling on Embiid’s left knee, causing a torn lateral meniscus. Last season, he missed several games due to knee management. And it seems like those knees will not hold for much longer.
Ming, for example, announced his retirement due to problems with his feet and ankles. Joel is having issues with his knees, which might eventually cause his retirement.
What Does A Joel Embiid Retirement Means for the Sixers?
Joel Embiid is 31 years old, one year older than Yao when the Chinese giant announced his retirement. But big men often struggle with injuries because of all the wear and tear on their bodies and the pressure from the extra height and weight.
Before last season, the Sixers gave Embiid a three-year extension, which will take him through the 2027-28 season. He has a $67 million player option for the 2028-29 season. Right now, it seems like the Sixers have the two worst contracts in the league, with Embiid and Paul George costing a combined $100+ million for the next two seasons at least. Both are often injured and frequently miss games.
Philly has started adding more youth, and if they cannot get a healthy Embiid next season, they can pivot to a team around Tyrese Maxey. The young point guard was an All-Star two seasons ago and has shown he can be among the best players in the league.
They also struck gold with Jared McCain in last year’s draft. This year’s draftee, VJ Edgecombe, looks like a promising young guard. They have young players they can pivot to, but none of them is a top-five MVP-type player like a healthy Embiid. But if his health cannot sustain a full season and playoffs, the Sixers might have to make some hard decisions.
Photo credit: © Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
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