Joel Embiid is entering “what if” territory in his NBA career after being repeatedly sidelined by injuries for lengthy stretches. While injuries can often come down to factors such as luck and style of play, Max Kellerman believes Embiid’s injury struggles are at least partly tied to his work ethic.
Kellerman said, “That was not Embiid at all,” while responding to Brian Scalabrine’s comments about how NBA players compare themselves to one another based on work ethic. Jeff Teague later addressed Kellerman’s comments on his Club 520 podcast, agreeing with the former First Take analyst’s assessment.
Jeff Teague Questions Joel Embiid’s Work Ethic
Teague didn’t mince words when discussing Embiid’s work ethic, claiming the following on his podcast.
“I think we all know that,” he said. “You can tell by his health, he’s probably not the most dedicated person to the craft. I can see that. Kevin Durant probably one of the more dedicated players to basketball. See how recovered from his injury and still be playing at the high-level.”
Jeff Teague on Max Kellerman comments saying Joel Embiid has a bad work ethic:
“Him saying he’s not the hardest working superstar, I think we all know that. You can tell by his health, he’s probably not the most dedicated person to the craft. I can see that. Kevin Durant… pic.twitter.com/PgIony9Cki
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) September 2, 2026
Durant missed 552 days after suffering a torn Achilles tendon in June 2019. He made his Nets debut in December 2020, returning to NBA action after a lengthy rehabilitation period and quickly looking like himself again.
“Joel Embiid is one of the most talented players ever, but maybe he don’t have the same work ethic,” Teague said. “I think he work hard. I know how hard it is to be really good at basketball for him to be at the top at one point in time and be the MVP of the league. I know he put in work but to be around all those greats.”
Teague nevertheless acknowledged that Embiid does put in significant work, emphasizing that failing to be the hardest worker does not mean a player isn’t working hard.
“Not being the hardest worker don’t mean you don’t work hard you just don’t work as hard as LeBron,” he said.
Working as hard as LeBron James is a Herculean task, and holding anyone to that standard is a tall order.
There is no simple formula for preventing injuries, and it’s unclear how much of Embiid’s training revolves around injury prevention. The 2023 MVP has nevertheless demonstrated he can maintain an elite level of production, averaging 33.1 points per game during his MVP campaign.
However, the nature of Embiid’s injuries has also been sporadic. Most recently, an appendicitis attack sidelined him for the play-in tournament and the start of the 2026 playoffs, though he returned to help the 76ers rally from a 3-1 series deficit and eliminate the Celtics.
Before that, Embiid underwent left meniscus surgery in 2024 before later dealing with Bell’s palsy, which caused facial paralysis and blurred vision.
Embiid has dealt with injuries to various parts of his body, yet he still averaged 26.9 points over 38 games in the 2025-26 season.
There are still a few Embiid supporters in the NBA realm. Rich Paul pushed back on Kellerman’s initial comments, saying, “I’ve heard nothing but great things about Joel this summer. I heard he’s in the best shape he’s been in. He’s been healthy all summer.”
If Paul is on board, it certainly means LeBron James might as well have faith in Embiid’s ability to remain fit in the coming time. With James on a two-year deal, it should be interesting to see if the stars align for the 2023 MVP to push for a championship once more, assuming that he indeed remains healthy.
