Joel Embiid to Have Appendectomy After Appendicitis Diagnosis
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The Philadelphia 76ers said Thursday that star center Joel Embiid will undergo an appendectomy in Houston after being diagnosed with appendicitis.
Embiid had already been ruled out of Thursday night’s game against the Houston Rockets because of what the club initially described as an illness. Further evaluation led to the appendicitis finding and the decision to proceed with surgery.
The team did not provide a recovery timetable, promising additional updates “as appropriate.” Recent NBA examples suggest a lengthy absence: Nikola Mirotic (2016) and Matthew Dellavedova (2021) each missed roughly five to six weeks following in-season appendectomies. Trey Lyles, who had the procedure in mid-July 2020 with San Antonio, did not return before the Spurs’ year ended on August 13, while OG Anunoby’s April 12, 2019 surgery ultimately sidelined him for the remainder of the Raptors’ title season.
With Philadelphia’s regular season nearing its end, Embiid is ruled out for the closing stretch and—barring an unusually swift recovery—appears unlikely to be available for any play-in or first-round playoff contests. The 76ers would need to advance without one of their top performers to give him a chance to rejoin the roster later in the postseason.
Source: Hoops Rumors
