After missing much of February due to a calf injury and knee management, Joel Embiid returned after the All-Star break for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Indiana Pacers, where he scored 27 points in 26 minutes in a 21-point win over the Indiana Pacers.
Does Embiid look 100 percent back to his MVP form? No, he looked like someone who hadn't played a basketball game since February 7th, but even though it took him a step or two longer to get up and down the court, he still gave Jay Huff and company fits on both ends of the court.
One fan who was particularly impressed by Embiid's return? Former Villanova Wildcats basketball head coach Jay Wright, who took to social media to celebrate "The Process" for his efficiency and intensity on the court.
"To be out for so long and come back with efficiency and intensity is incredible talent!!" Wright wrote. "Joel Embiid, a unique talent, Sixers."
To be out for so long and come back with efficiency and intensity is incredible talent!! a unique talent @JoelEmbiid @sixers. https://t.co/rLfnPiLWRK
- Jay Wright (@CoachJayWright) 25 February 2026
The most successful basketball coach in the Greater Philadelphia area this century, Wright has been the apple of 76ers fans' eyes since his first national championship win on the main line, with his 2022 retirement leading many to believe he will make the jump to the pro level for the first time in his career. While so far, that leap hasn't been made, the fact that Wright remains a 76ers fan has fans in the comments section urging him to return to the bench in place of Nick Nurse, where he can unlock Embiid's "efficiency and intensity."
Will this happen? Only time will tell, but if Embiid continues to play like his efforts against the Pacers, the 76ers could get their own banner before "The Process" joins Wright in retirement.
