An NBA executive said Joel Embiid sometimes has too much ego

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has appeared "too cocky" at times despite continuing to play through injuries and pain, an NBA executive said, ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst reported.

The executive made the comments in response to questions from Bontemps and Windhorst about which players had disappointing performances in the first half of the 2024-25 season.

"Embiid has really bad luck with injuries, and he plays through them a lot, so you have sympathy for him. But sometimes, his performance makes people feel that he is too arrogant, and that sympathy disappears," the executive said.

The 76ers have only won three of their first 17 games at the start of the season, with the intermittent absences of Embiid and Paul George being one of the main reasons. Although the team has recently recovered and entered the new stage with a record of 15 wins and 20 losses, Embiid has only played in 13 games so far this season. He missed several games due to left knee soreness after knee surgery last year, as well as a sinus fracture and a foot sprain.

In addition, Embiid was suspended for three games by the NBA in November for "pushing a media member", which further sparked controversy. According to the league announcement, the incident occurred during the media interview session after the game.

Tensions within the Sixers also made headlines in late November when ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Tyrese Maxey had criticized Embiid for being late to a postgame meeting and called on him to be more accountable for team activities. Embiid then publicly blamed whoever leaked the story to Charania.

Currently, Embiid continues to be out due to a sprained left foot. He returned to the practice field on Thursday, but is expected to miss the team's game against the New Orleans Pelicans, which will be his third consecutive absence.

Although Embiid's talent is unquestionable, his injury history and off-court controversy have caused team management and fans to question his leadership and professional attitude. The future games will be a critical moment for him to prove his worth.