Joel Embiid fires back at critics: ‘I’ve done way too much for this f—— city’

76ers star Joel Embiid fired back at critics who are questioning why the former NBA MVP has yet to play this season because of what the team is calling “left knee injury management.”
“When I see people saying, ‘He doesn’t want to play,’ … I’ve done way too much for this city, putting myself at risk, for people to be saying that. So I do think it’s b——-,” Embiid told reporters Friday in his first public comments since the season began, citing a recent Philadelphia Inquirer column that called for fans to receive refunds when Embiid doesn’t play.
“Like that dude, he’s not here, Marcus… I’ve done way too much for this f***ing city to be treated like this.”
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Embiid specifically called out Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes, who has been critical of Embiid, including this passage in a column.
Numerous former NBA stars, from Kevin Garnett and Paul George to Shaquille O’Neal, have ripped Embiid for not playing yet this season, while saying he doesn’t plan to play in back-to-backs. Embiid has insisted he wants to be ready for the postseason. The Sixers have never been past the second round during his career.
The NBA on Tuesday fined the franchise $100,000 for public statements around Embiid’s health status.
The NBA’s found that Embiid — who last month agreed to a three-year, $192.9 million extension — hasn’t been able to play yet due to a “left knee condition.” Head coach Nick Nurse and 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey were fined $100,000 for public statements that were “inconsistent” with the league’s findings on Embiid’s status.
During his career, Embiid has played through multiple facial fractures, knee ailments, broken fingers and Bell’s palsy.
“I’ve done it,” he said Friday. “From what I can tell you, I’ve broken my face twice, came back early with the risk of losing my vision, had broken fingers (and) I still came back.”
“I wish I was as lucky as other ones,” he said later. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not doing whatever it takes to be out there, which I am pretty soon.”
On Wednesday ahead of the team’s 105-95 home loss to the Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia radio host Howard Eskin Nurse on whether it was fair for paying customers that Embiid and George haven’t played. Nurse on Tuesday had refused to answer a reporter’s question about the situation.
“Nick, do you think it’s fair to your paying customers and your fans to not have any idea when your star player is going to play?” Eskin asked Nurse, via Awful Announcing.
Nurse hesitated and then deflected with his answer
“That’s a big question,” said Nurse. “Listen, our guys are working out. They are making progress. They have workouts tomorrow, Friday. We ought to have a better indication of where they are by then.”
Speaking on SportsCenter Thursday morning, ESPN’s Shams Charania said Embiid “is essentially in the ramp-up phase of his return process, of his debut process.” He added that Embiid has “completed multiple five-on-five scrimmages in recent days” and that the Sixers want to make sure his knee and his body are “100 percent before he makes it back on the floor.”
On Friday, Embiid was a full participant in practice but was ruled out of Saturday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
“I listen to them, they listen to me and (we) see how everything reacts,” Embiid said. “Been doing pretty good. Going up and down five-on-five and today was a great session with the whole team.”
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.