Skip Bayless stirred up controversy on Wednesday when he claimed on “Gil’s Arena” that a source in Philadelphia told him Joel Embiid has already been medically cleared following his appendectomy, but is choosing not to play.
The comment spread fast, and the backlash came almost immediately from someone who knows Embiid better than many others.
Drew Hanlen, Embiid’s longtime personal trainer and one of the most respected skills coaches in the NBA, was not going to let it sit.
Skip Bayless Speculates on Joel Embiid’s Injury Status
“That’s what I was told. That it’s appendicitis, but it’s fine and went well these days they can just go quickly and pretty simply. And he could play if he chose to,” Bayless said.
“So, now that’s like turmoil, locker-room kind of turmoil. ‘Wait a second, big guy, you know, can you play?'” Bayless said on “Gil’s Arena.”
Skip Bayless says he has a source in Philadelphia that said Joel Embiid is cleared to play, but chosen not to:
“That’s what I was told. That it’s appendicitis but it’s fine and went well these days they can just go quickly and pretty simply. And he could play if he chose to. So,… pic.twitter.com/tG9wWlJ8g8
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) April 15, 2026
Hanlen responded directly on social media, calling the report an outright fabrication.
“To set the record straight, this is 100% false. Nothing worse than when media members make up sh*t for clicks and views, then hide behind unnamed sources,” Hanlen wrote.
To set the record straight, this is 100% false.
Nothing worse than when media members make up shit for clicks & views then hide behind unnamed “sources.” https://t.co/BKqa43zq2d
— Drew Hanlen (@DrewHanlen) April 15, 2026
Hanlen has worked with Embiid for years, helping him develop into the superstar that he is today. They are extremely close on and off the court.
For Hanlen to go out of his way and call the report completely false is about as definitive a denial as you can get from someone inside Embiid’s circle.
Hanlen isn’t the only one who called out Bayless following this report. ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel also dismissed the report, calling the suggestion that Embiid would sit out an emergency procedure that could have been life-threatening if left untreated deeply irresponsible.
“This is not true whatsoever, and to say something like this is disgusting for a guy who underwent an emergency procedure that would be life-threatening if left unchecked,” he wrote. “The guy just had surgery, and he needs time to recover. This is so wrong to even say.”
The NBA’s official injury report lists Embiid as out due to post-appendectomy recovery. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Embiid is still in the early stages of his recovery and must complete a full physical rehabilitation phase before being cleared for game action.
There is no timetable for his return, and his status heading into a potential first-round series against the Boston Celtics remains doubtful at best.
If the Sixers don’t have Embiid back, they certainly won’t have a good chance against Boston. Embiid may not have been having a great season, but he’s still an elite center when healthy. It remains to be seen how long he’ll be sidelined as he recovers.
