This shouldn’t come as a surprise to any Philadelphia 76ers fan, but again, it seems like your anger is being misinterpreted into something it never was. In a recent interview, NBA Skills Coach Drew Hanlen highlighted Sixers fans’ frustrations over Joel Embiid’s ongoing injury issues. The nuance surrounding this statement is not entirely correct. The real frustration really lies with the front office’s inability to provide clarity on the superstar’s health, instead opting for radio silence.
On February 18, Hanlen sat down for an insightful interview with The Kevin O’Connor Show to discuss his relationships with both Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. A key takeaway from the conversation was the challenges the 2023 MVP has faced on his journey to rediscover a clean bill of health. Within this dialogue, Hanlen proved that the concerns of the Philadelphia fanbase are not being taken seriously.
When speaking with Yahoo Sports! writer Kevin O’Connor, Hanlen discussed Embiid’s rehab, suggesting, “I think this is something that fans don’t understand… the process he had to go through.” He then continued the conversation by saying, “As frustrating as it was for the Sixers fans, it was even more frustrating for Joel.”
Sixers fans need clarity on Embiid’s health
First and foremost, this is not a criticism of Drew Hanlen. Embiid is his client, and that relationship gives him insights that no fan or NBA analyst could replicate. Yet the feeling he expressed is often heard on social media: that fans are becoming increasingly frustrated with Joel Embiid himself. I don’t agree with that.
The irritation expressed by Philadelphia fans is directed at the front office. This is a city where sport lives and breathes. Every win or loss has the potential to spin their world on a different axis. People’s hard-earned paychecks are spent watching the franchise, whether it’s on a television broadcast or at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. They must be given the grace to know that the cornerstone of their franchise will be fit enough to take the field.
Before the 2024-2025 season opener, Nick Nurse spoke about Embiid’s fitness and told reporters: “There’s been no setback. He’s very active, he’s lost some weight, he’s on the pitch – we’re just sticking to our plan of ramping him up and making sure he’s in a really good place before we let him play live.”
When did the 31-year-old make his seasonal debut, I hear you ask? Ten games into the season, on November 12, 2024, against the New York Knicks. Injuries can develop and manifest into something different than we initially imagine. However, without any prior knowledge, it appears this was a smart choice of words by the head coach to prevent the star from committing to an actual return date.
By the end of the 2024-2025 season, Embiid would play just 19 games for the 76ers. It would take until February 28, 2025, for the dominant center to finally close for the season. Until then, a similar story would be told and his availability for games would be assessed on a game-by-game basis.
Of course, Philadelphia 76ers fans will look like disappointed figures if a player with Joel Embiid’s elite talent level continues to aggravate injuries. Yet the real frustration lies in the smokescreen the front office creates around a situation that deserves more clarity. Drew Hanlen may have believed that the fans’ anger was directed at Embiid, but I’d say it was directed at the continued breakdown in communication.
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