Joel Embiid Rejects 76ers' Injury Report, 'Must Be APRIL FOOLS Joke????'

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid isn't pleased with the team's injury report for Wednesday night's game against the Washington Wizards.

After the Sixers announced that Embiid will miss the game due to an illness, Embiid took to social media to question whether the announcement was an April Fools' joke.

76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey told the Philadelphia Inquirer's Gina Mizell Embiid was ruled out "when he was too ill to make this morning's film session."

Embiid revealed that he was under the weather earlier this week, but he still managed to play in Monday's 119-109 loss to the Miami Heat. He produced 26 points, seven rebounds, three assists and a block in 34 minutes of action.

Embiid has appeared in 36 games this season for the 41-34 Sixers, who rank seventh in the Eastern Conference entering Wednesday's contest against the Wizards (17-58). With seven games left in the regular season, this could be the first time he appears in 40 games since his 2022-23 MVP campaign.

While the Sixers understandably don't want to deploy Embiid when he's not at full strength, it's clear that the big man is hoping to stay in top form as the playoffs approach. When healthy, he's shown that he can still be one of the best big men in the league, even while playing as a No. 2 option next to star point guard Tyrese Maxey.