The Injured Joel Embiid: The Next Greg Oden or Nerlens Noel?

Injuries are the great unknown in sports. Will Joel Embiid recover like teammate Nerlens Noel or will he end up like Greg Oden?

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (C), is flanked by teammates Jerami Grant (L) and Michael Carter-Williams. Embiid missed all of the 2014–15 season with a right foot stress fracture. AP Photo/Michael Perez

With the news out of Philadelphia that rookie center Joel Embiid’s right foot stress fracture, which caused him to miss all of the 2014–15 season, hasn’t healed as much as anticipated, the 76ers are left with the reality that they may have completely whiffed with the third overall pick of last year’s draft.

Although it’s only been a year for the multitalented 7-footer sitting on the bench, Embiid’s short injury history extends back to his lone season at Kansas in 2013–14 when he missed the final six games of the season with a back injury.

Naturally, whenever recurring injuries happen to a highly regarded NBA prospect, the name Greg Oden comes to mind.

READ MORE

• Cavaliers New Big Three?