2015 Flashback: Five Worst Moments in Philadelphia Sports

Apr 15, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) dunks during warm ups before playing against the Miami Heat at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

1.) Joel Embiid’s Setback

The disappointment that came as a result of the announcement that Joel Embiid had suffered a setback in his recovery from surgery on his navicular bone might as well have been manufactured in a factory. The elements maximized the pain that came with the singularity of Yahoo Sports Adrian Wojnarowski breaking the devastating news.

This news landing at the top (or bottom) of this list goes back well before the fateful June evening where ‘The Process’ suffered its most crucial blow. The night Embiid was drafted, almost a year before this news, was supposed to serve as the coronation of the first ‘tank’ of the Hinkie era. Were it not for Embiid suffering his initial foot injury in the days leading up to the 2014 NBA Draft, one could have made a strong case that the Sixers would have ended up with Andrew Wiggins. The alternate timeline where this injury did not happen before the draft is a most tantalizing, albeit painful one, for Sixers fans.

Nevertheless, with competing in the NBA’s Eastern Conference still a few years away, the Sixers fans quickly wrapped their minds around the prospect of Embiid taking the court at the start of the 2015-2016 season. The supremely talented, yet raw big man had established himself as the top overall prospect in the 2014 draft class and a full recovery would take the sting away from missing out on Wiggins. The Cameroonian’s delightful personality and hysterical social media presence endeared himself to Sixers fans and a toxic love affair began.

The 2014-2015 season became secondary to the observation of Embiid’s much-publicized road back. Sixers fans (present company included) fought off the notions that the young man was not taking his recovery seriously and that some of his playful antics would not affect him arriving in the starting lineup the following October. Slowly but surely, Embiid checked off the stages of his delicate therapy process. Little by little, fans were treated to slivers of what the team’s top asset was capable of doing on a basketball court.

The Sixers pregame workouts became must-see entertainment. Brett Brown and his staff going through drills with the 7-footer, who looked as if he could dominate from the moment he stepped on the court, was far more entertaining than the product on the court. Embiid had also emerged as a delightful cheerleader on the bench, erupting at his team’s rare victories. To their credit, the Sixers organization capitalized on the ‘hope’ they had invested in Embiid’s future and made a second-straight miserable season in terms of wins and losses that much more palatable. Fans circled October 28, 2015 (game 1 of the 2015-2016 season) as the day that made all the losing worth it.

We may never know if there was an individual incident that led to Embiid’s setback or if it was an accumulative effect. There may have been factors at play that were out of the control of those involved. For Sam Hinkie and the Sixers organization to release a statement moments after Wojnarowski reported the news was telling to say the least.

"“As part of the conservative approach focused on the long-term health, recovery and care of Joel, we have been closely monitoring his progress, regularly evaluating his status and adjusting our plans accordingly. “Recently, Joel and Sixers personnel traveled to Los Angeles for a series of routine exams with a number of physicians who have been actively involved throughout this process. During his visit with Dr. Richard Ferkel, a standard CT scan on Joel’s right foot revealed less healing than anticipated at this point. “Our priority remains providing Joel with every opportunity to ensure he has a long and successful NBA career, and as such, these findings cause us to pause and reassess his current activities. Together with Joel and his representatives, we will continue to consult with the experienced team of doctors who have been an integral part of his evaluations, while also engaging in dialogue with a broader set of experts and specialists. “Discussions regarding the appropriate next steps are currently ongoing and we will share an update once it becomes available.”"

The news sucked the life out of all the hope built up by those who believed in ‘The Process’. Embiid was a superior talent to any player the Sixers could have landed in the upcoming draft and was the centerpiece fans had wrapped their minds around going forward. An athletic big man with the ability to shoot from the outside, protect the rim, and excel in the modern NBA world of pace-driven pick & roll offenses was their golden ticket. Embiid would require a second high-risk surgery on his ill-fated right foot and miss a second full season of competitive basketball.

With the Sixers performing even worse than they were at this point, fans naturally gravitated back towards Embiid as they grasp at anything to make the losing less painful. For all intents and purposes, however, Embiid is something of a wild card going forward. While I can not speak for the rest of the Sixers fanbase, I have opted to not get my hopes up about him playing for the team. That’s not to say I predict he will never play for the Sixers. As a fan that has remained largely on board for how the Sixers have gone about the last few seasons, I work under this mindset so that if/when Embiid does play, I can feel the type of elation that has eluded me for what will end up being three full seasons.

From a talent standpoint, I still look at Embiid as the most promising athlete in the city of Philadelphia. I truly believe a fully healthy Embiid has the potential to be a better player than anyone drafted in the last three seasons and the Sixers only hope at delivering to their fans what they promised when Hinkie was hired. Because of this, there was no hesitation when it came to selecting the most depressing sports moment in the 2015 calendar year. At this time next year, hopefully we’re talking about Embiid’s debut as one of the top moments of 2016. To avoid the feeling I had on June 13, 2015, I will pump the brakes on predicting that will happen.