Accidents once more dominated the day because the Sixers formally obtained the ball rolling on their 2025-26 season.
“Clearly, we all know that for us, the most important factor is well being,” Joel Embiid mentioned Friday.
From Embiid’s knee to Kelly Oubre Jr.’s pinkie, right here’s what we discovered concerning the staff’s well being at media day in Camden, New Jersey.
Joel Embiid
Embiid had arthroscopic surgical procedure in April on the bothersome left knee that restricted him to 19 video games final season.
The 2022-23 MVP is happy along with his trajectory since then, though Embiid and the Sixers usually are not inclined to position any precise public timelines on his subsequent steps.
“I really feel fairly good,” he mentioned. “I feel we made a whole lot of progress over the past couple of months. We’ve obtained a plan in place, attempt to examine off all of the containers. … That is nonetheless form of like a really feel interval the place we’re simply taking it day-to-day. Maintain getting stronger, preserve getting higher.
“There’s been a number of courtroom periods, so every little thing has been on schedule. … I feel there’s not essentially an expectation. It’s extra about ensuring every little thing is true and doing every little thing proper, after which going from there.”
Embiid acknowledged that, as his injury-filled, unfortunate historical past suggests, the season is probably not an ultra-smooth trip.
“I feel I need to be as trustworthy as doable,” he mentioned. “I feel going ahead, I’m simply going to hearken to the physique. I’ll be trustworthy and say it’s going to be unpredictable at occasions, and that’s OK. We’ve set to work with that. We’ve obtained to take it day-to-day and go from there.
“So I feel the one factor I’m targeted on is each single time we’re on the suitable path, preserve going. If there’s one thing that occurs in that point, it’s OK. Simply deal with fixing it and preserve going. That’s my mentality.”
Rookie Johni Broome offered a little bit of perception into how Embiid’s regarded in pre-training camp motion.
“He’s nice. He practiced the opposite day and I needed to guard him. He scored a pair in a row,” Broome mentioned with a smile. “That’s what you form of anticipate. You play good protection and he has higher offense. That’s the kind of participant he’s, however I’m glad that I’m going in opposition to him in observe and I’m going to have him on my aspect through the yr. He’s an excellent particular person to study from and he’s very open to speak to you about issues you’ll want to enhance on.”
Paul George
George underwent a newer arthroscopic left knee surgical procedure than Embiid’s.
He mentioned he’s “getting higher and higher, feeling stronger and feeling” following that July process. Nonetheless, the 35-year-old ahead doesn’t anticipate to take part within the Sixers’ weekend coaching camp practices. George famous he’s capable of do “just about every little thing apart from full contact.”
“I’m within the weight room, I’m lifting, I’m understanding every single day,” he mentioned. “I’m on the courtroom. Not prepared to begin the complete ramp-up of conditioning on courtroom with operating and stuff like that, however I’m on the courtroom, I’m understanding. I’m doing stationary drills … one-to-two dribble strikes. I’m nonetheless capable of transfer and be lively on the courtroom, I’m simply not able to be a full-on contact participant proper now.”
George performed in simply half of the Sixers’ video games final yr. He additionally tried to grind by way of a number of important lingering accidents — knee, groin, pinkie — even when the Sixers had been many video games under .500. It didn’t work effectively for him or the staff.
Will his perspective be any completely different transferring ahead about enjoying with nagging points?
“I’m not a health care provider, however I feel simply trusting my physique, trusting the method going into this season,” George mentioned. “The staff is permitting me to form of be as (shut) to 100 (%) as doable, as a result of that’s what I signed up for. That’s what they signed me for, to come back in and be the Paul George that they went out and recruited final yr. So for me to do this, I do need to be wholesome. That’s actually it.
“Once more, I’m placing the work in, I’m placing the time in, I’m seeing the progress. I’m feeling an increasing number of like myself every day, and that’s an important factor because the dates are winding down and we’re preparing for the season to begin. So I like the place I’m at, I like how we’ve progressed issues, and that’s the one means I can take a look at it proper now.”
Jared McCain
A day after struggling a UCL tear in his proper thumb, McCain was absent from media day.
“He’s nonetheless consulting with specialists. … Nonetheless gathering that suggestions,” Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey mentioned. “We all know Jared’s going to assault this similar to he did the final (harm) and be again even higher.”
Kelly Oubre Jr.
Oubre went into element Friday about addressing the long-term finger accidents that he’s beforehand indicated have posed challenges along with his jumper.
“I’ve had surgical procedure on my left pinkie and my thumb as effectively,” he mentioned. “Totally different years, completely different surgical procedures. I obtained damage for the primary time round (the beginning of) COVID and the rehab course of was form of non-existent as a result of the world shut down. So I constructed up a whole lot of scar tissue in these areas. After which in my thumb, I’ve a brace.
“I did assault that actually exhausting this summer time. I used to be capable of see my previous therapist. Her identify’s Mo; shoutout Mo, she’s superb. Get some extra vary of movement in my wrist, in my hand, in my fingers. Get my fingers straighter. … I’ve simply obtained to place the ball within the gap and then you definitely guys can discuss it once I do.”
Oubre had an offseason follow-up session.
“I truly noticed the physician who did it this summer time, simply to go over every little thing, let him understand how I’m therapeutic,” he mentioned. “We considered taking the brace out of my thumb. However I’m going to take that out, acquire some vary (of movement) however lose one thing on the again finish some other place. It’s not likely price it. And over these years, I’ve been capable of compensate and my physique does a great job of adapting to much less flexion and vary of movement.
“I’ve been simply figuring it out, actually. However with this vary, I’ve to re-write the patterns in my mind of capturing like I used to earlier than all of these items. I’m only a hooper, man. I’m simply trying ahead to going on the market and making it work. The triumph will likely be higher than the adversity for positive.”
Andre Drummond
Drummond had a simple report on the left huge toe harm that hindered him for a lot of final yr.
“It was a great summer time for me,” the veteran huge man mentioned. “I did all the required issues to construct the power again in my foot and I’m one hundred pc to go. I’ve regarded nice throughout (offseason exercises) and I’m prepared.”
Drummond ventured into new territory along with his rehab.
“Actually, I didn’t know there was such a factor as toe yoga,” he mentioned. “I’ve been doing a whole lot of toe yoga this summer time to have the ability to actually get that power again in my huge toe, having the ability to transfer it freely with out having to tape it. … Should you don’t know what it’s, look it up. It’s positively not a enjoyable expertise, however it labored out for me.”
Eric Gordon
The 36-year-old Gordon is again for a second season in Philadelphia. His first ended with proper wrist surgical procedure.
“I’d say a few months after the surgical procedure, I used to be actually capable of shoot,” Gordon mentioned. “So I’ve been capable of shoot all summer time. Anytime you have got a surgical procedure, you’re all the time going to have ups and downs, however up to now every little thing’s been good. I’m trying ahead to observe tomorrow with actually no limitations.”
Kyle Lowry
Lowry, 39, spoke with nice enthusiasm Friday about mentoring Sixers kids like VJ Edgecombe and McCain, who he mentioned have a “pureness” of their strategy to the game.
So far as on the ground, Lowry’s final season was ceaselessly disrupted by a proper hip drawback. That’s improved over the summer time.
“I really feel nice,” he mentioned. “I really feel actually good. I feel simply having the ability to be on the courtroom to assist these guys the perfect that I can. However I do know my function this yr. So if I’m wanted, I’ll be there, however my function is to assist these guys. I’d like to play 25, half-hour (per sport), however that’s not my function, that’s not my job.”
