We all had great expectations from Joel Embiid. The big man who moved like a power forward had everyone on the edges of their seats every time played for the Philadelphia 76ers. Sadly, injuries marred his insane potential. But there may be light at the end of this dark tunnel for Joel.

Embiid only played 19 of the Sixers’ 58 games back when they shut him down for the rest of the season. “The Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid have been consulting with top specialists regarding ongoing issues with his left knee,” they announced at the end of February this year. Soon, they scheduled Embiid for arthroscopic knee surgery. Many feared that this meant he’d never play again. But we’ve got some good news for you Sixers fans on that front!

Joel Embiid’s surgery went well; here’s when he’ll be back

The good news we just alluded to is the fact that Embiid’s surgery went swimmingly. “Joel Embiid underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Wednesday. The procedure was performed at NYU Langone Sports Medicine Center by Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow. Embiid will be re-evaluated in approximately six weeks,” reported John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia.

This means he will be re-evaluated by the end of May or early June. And this is great news considering that there were doubts about Embiid’s ability to play again. Even Nick Nurse commented on Embiid’s successful surgery. “The info I got is that it went well. I think they are very happy with what transpired, and that’s about it,” Nurse addressed reporters.

This news will be music to Nick Nurse and the rest of the Sixers’ ears. Now, as the regular season wraps up, they have good things to look forward to in the offseason. After all, they got crushed in the league without Embiid this season. Only the efforts of Tyrese Maxey kept them afloat. However, there were times when Embiid getting the surgery was a mere suggestion more than anything else.

Was getting the surgery the right move for Joel Embiid?

Do you know how bad it got for the Sixers this season? Well, to put it bluntly, it got so bad that they had Embiid risk his health just to keep them competitive in the NBA. Shams Charania spoke about this on the April 3 episode of NBA Today. He revealed that Embiid and the Sixers’ front office clashed over the best course of action when it came to his injury.

“The team believed he needed to play at some points of the season, that he needed to get his conditioning right through playing and getting better that way. He felt like he needed surgery. He ends up getting the surgery.” And it’s clear that the surgery was the best path forward for Embiid. We’ve seen countless examples of athletes playing through injury, only to come back looking like a shadow of their former selves.

Perhaps one of the best examples recently is former Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti. Like Embiid, he had chronic knee issues but delayed getting surgery to help France win the 2018 FIFA World Cup. While he was successful in his efforts, when he returned, he simply wasn’t the player that he was before the surgery. Moreover, he kept getting injured constantly once he did return.

All in all, getting the surgery was the best move available to Joel Embiid. Sure, he might lose a step once he’s back. But that’s still better than being a shell of yourself because you didn’t receive the proper treatment at the right time. Moreover, his recovery and rehab might be over once the Sixers are ready to begin the 2025/26 NBA season. And his return would be huge for Philly.

At the end of the day, we’re just happy that Embiid is one step closer to getting healthier. Here’s wishing the former MVP good luck as he recovers!