Being Joel Embiid is not easy. The Philadelphia 76ers center is a transcendent talent. With elite scoring skills, he came close to being the only man apart from Wilt Chamberlain to average points for minutes played this season. Sadly, a meniscus injury prevented him from making such uncharted history. It’s not the only hurdle injuries have posed in Embiid’s decorated career.

For years, Joel Embiid has tried to fight for a title. In every postseason since 2018, he has suffered ailments. These injuries have bruised his legacy and carved away at his peace of mind. After his latest meniscus tear, which kept him from achieving remarkable heights, the Sixers’ star admitted to feeling depressed.

“I don’t know what depression is. Yeah, I felt like I was depressed, but I’ll never tell you that I was actually going through depression. How can I say this? I believe in mental health, but I’ve never been one to admit I might be going through something like that,” Embiid told the New York Times. Due to his roots in a military family, the perennial MVP contender can’t admit to facing such mental hurdles. “Like you said, the background, where I’m from, it’s kind of hard to admit that something is going on”.

Without the injuries and accidents, who knows what “The Process” would truly look like? Joel Embiid has been dominating defenses and imposing himself season after season. Each time, the multidimensional player seems to be getting better. Judging by his skills and arsenal alone, Embiid is a bona fide legend. But if it wasn’t for “freak” injuries, Embiid believes he could have been the greatest.

“Yeah. If you think about it, the thing that stopped me all these years is just freak injuries. Every single playoffs, regular season, people falling on my knee or breaking my face — twice. It’s always freak injuries at the wrong time,” Embiid replied when he was asked about being on the GOAT trajectory without the rotten luck of injuries.

It’s tough to say what Embiid could have achieved without injuries. Yes, there are instances when ailments have derailed him. But there have also been times when the 76ers’ center has come up short in the postseason. It’s impossible to predict the outcomes of the Sixers, who have now tried a myriad of combinations with a healthy Joel Embiid.

As he said himself, the most vital aspect of winning is “you can’t do it by yourself”. So even if The Process remained healthy, it would need an entire team to rally behind the same purpose. In the past, there have been Sixers teams that came close. In 2019, a miracle Kawhi Leonard series-winner robbed Philly of what might have been their best chance with Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons both in their primes.

This season, a new hope has arisen once more with the mega trade for Paul George taking place. So is Joel Embiid finally feeling confident about winning?

Joel Embiid has learned not to get too excited too soon

The Sixers last season were terrible without him. In the lost cause season, they struck gold with Tyrese Maxey. His acrobatic layups and distance shooting all amounted to a career season averaging 25.9 points. Additionally, Daryl Morey provided the star duo with a third pawn in the form of Paul George.

While aging, PG13 is still an elite two-way force who can significantly assist the Sixers in ending their 41-year title drought. Joel Embiid, learning from his experiences, isn’t acting aimlessly. He is keen on testing his synergy with the veteran forward.

“When you are presented with a plan, sometimes it goes wrong, sometimes it goes right. We’ve still got long way to go. On paper it looks great. But we still got to go on the court and make it work,” he told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.

At just 30 years old, Joel Embiid still has a vibrant career ahead of him. With the current unit, the Sixers remain one of the favorites to win the title. Of course, one championship won’t justify his claim for the GOAT title. But if Embiid manages to win multiple titles along with gaining individual accolades, he could be part of the debate. It will require a lot to go right, but after such horrid luck, maybe a twist in fortune is in store for Embiid.

Do you think Joel Embiid can overcome his injury struggles and lead the 76ers to an NBA championship? Let us know in the comments below!