Embiid had been ruled out for his rookie season after needing surgery to repair a broken navicular bone in his foot. The team reportedly believed Embiid was being “lazy” in his recovery as his weight ballooned, while Embiid felt like he had to protect his own heath because his employer didn’t believe him.

After a disastrous season that saw the 76ers finish with a 24-58 record, their fans were relying on the offseason to offer a beacon of hope. Things looked brighter when the Sixers selected guard V.J.