Joel Embiid expects to be back playing basketball in 2-3 weeks

Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid in action during an NBA basketball game against the Houston Rockets, Friday, Jan. 27, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Philadelphia’s favorite 7-foot-2 Cameroonian is returning to the court soon. Even though the Sixers don’t have a game on their schedule for more than five months, any time Joel Embiid has good news on his basketball well being, it qualifies as a significant development for the potential franchise center.

Although he put up Rookie-of-the-Year numbers in his debut season, the former Kansas center remained a victim of the injury bug that already had cost him two entire NBA seasons. Embiid at times dominated offensively while playing 31 games for Philadelphia, but had his rookie season cut short in late January due to a meniscus tear in his left knee.

Embiid’s most recent rehab stint, at least, has gone well, he reported Tuesday, during an appearance in New York for ESPN.

“I’m doing great,” the 23-year-old big
man told Michael Smith and Jemele
Hill. “… I’m supposed to be back on
the court in about two or three weeks.
But I’m doing good. It’s been going
good.”

In town to represent his franchise at the NBA Draft Lottery, in which the 76ers could end up with two choices near the top of the board, Embiid felt typically confident about serving as a lucky charm of sorts.

But if he and the organization have their way, Philadelphia will break into the playoffs in 2018 and no longer have to count on the bounces of some Ping Pong balls when planning for their future.

“Hopefully this is the last time we’re
gonna be doing this,” Embiid said. “I
hate losing.”

Already an NBA social media superstar, despite his limited in-game chances to date, Embiid also explained why he stays authentic to himself when he posts on Twitter and Instagram.

“Social media is a way for me to
connect with fans, and I love being on
social media. I love being funny on
there,” Embiid said. “… Especially in
Philly they show me a lot of love, and
it goes all over the world, too. So I
love social media.”

On that front, Smith and Hill brought up Embiid’s longstanding aspirations to go on a date with music superstar Rihanna, and because singer Kelly Rowland also was in attendance for the event, asked him to make his case to Rihanna through her friend, Rowland.

“Why should Rihanna give you a shot?”
Hill asked.

“I mean, look at myself,” a grinning
Embiid responded. “… I’m 7-2. I’m
good-looking. You know, women usually
love my accent, because I’m from
Cameroon, in Africa. And I’m pretty
intelligent, too.”

Seriously, though, now nearly three years removed from becoming the No. 3 pick in the draft, Embiid, who averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists for the Sixers in just 25.4 minutes a game, appears on schedule to return for the 2017-18 season. For him, that’s an even better development than Rihanna accepting his open invitation.

And — who knows — if the lottery shakes out the right way, Embiid might end up with another one-and-done KU prodigy as a 76ers teammates soon.

If Embiid is able to play a whole season for Philadelphia next year, along with 2016’s No. 1 pick, Ben Simmons, a run at a playoff berth and an end to the team’s spring lottery tradition just might be possible.

(Insert your own “Trust the Process” joke here.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEhuoga3BnE