Following Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse's encouraging update on Joel Embiid ahead of the upcoming season, associates of teammates and former staff members have come forward to describe a toxic work environment. Embiid is entering his 10th season with the 76ers, where some staffers say it hasn't been an easy place to be, especially surrounding the seven-time All-Star and his health updates.
Embiid's private nature doesn't help, including news about his health, staffers said, per The Ringer's Howard Beck.
“The organization was built around one guy who doesn’t trust anyone and mostly keeps to himself,” one former Sixers staffer said. When that one guy is putting up Wilt-like numbers, it can work. Not so much when he’s playing in just 19 games—a career low—and, in those rare moments when he does suit up, shooting a career-worst 44.4 percent from the field while looking timid, heavy, and slow.”
Compounding issues within the organization, Embiid was unclear about the magnitude of his injuries with the 76ers.
“Making matters worse was Embiid’s refusal to be transparent about his injury. Not just with the public. He walled himself off from the majority of people within the organization, too,” Beck added. “Players often showed up to work not knowing whether the team’s star would be suiting up. Coaches often didn’t know Embiid’s status until he finished pregame warm-ups, sometimes less than an hour before tip-off. Nurse, who was forced to absorb the daily barrage of health questions, grew visibly frustrated.
“Knowing that even the slightest disclosure might be perceived by Embiid as betrayal, no doubt added to the stress. “With Joel, even if there is a plan in place, you can’t say anything about it,” said a second former team staffer.
Joel Embiid's issues with 76ers staffers, teammates
76ers veteran Joel Embiid had issues with Tyrese Maxey during a team meeting that reached headlines last season. Maxey challenged Embiid, speaking out about a sentiment that many of his 76ers teammates shared about the starting center, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
“Tyrese loves Big Fella, but this is the elephant in the room,” a person involved in the meeting told ESPN.
When his reputation was mentioned during the offseason, Embiid shrugged it off, explaining that his focus is on being the best basketball player he can be, he said, per ESPN's Dontun Akintoye.
“I care about how I'm going to be remembered when it comes to basketball, but not as a man,” Embiid says. “As a man, you can't tell me nothing.”
The 76ers will face the Knicks in their preseason opener on Thursday.
