Three more doctors to look at Embiid's foot
76ers CEO Scott O'Neil said on the Breakfast on Broad show Friday that three more doctors will evaluate the latest setback in the healing of Joel Embiid's right foot.
"We're still waiting," O'Neil said. "We have another three doctors to come see him. The nice thing about jobs like these – you can literally get the best experts in the world. All you have to do is call and they love to see us."
He added that the franchise could get an answer about the 7-foot center's future in "a couple of weeks."
The team announced last Saturday night that Embiid had a setback in his recuperation. The 2014 first-round draft pick from Kansas missed what would have been his rookie season after undergoing surgery last June to repair a stress fracture in the navicular bone in his right foot.
It is unknown if Embiid, 21, will have to undergo another surgery, which could sideline him for part of next season. The team is still gathering information, and nothing has been ruled out.
The Cameroonian big man is not expected to participate in the two NBA summers leagues the Sixers will participate in next month although O'Neil said his status is not known. It's also not known how long he will be sidelined.
O'Neil confirmed that Embiid has been shut down from working out.
"We're trying to figure out with a 21-year-old how do you focus wholly on long-term health and wellness and make sure he's OK," O'Neil said. "So what we're doing now is seeing experts, the best experts from around the world, to make sure we make the right decisions with him and his family and do the best."
There's a chance this injury will hinder Embiid's career the way it has for other 7-footers. Like Embiid, Yao Ming suffered a stress fracture in a navicular bone in 2008 and again in 2009. That injury forced Yao to retire in 2011.
A stress fracture in Embiid's lower back kept him out of the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments during his lone season at Kansas in 2013-14. Embiid initially hurt his back Feb. 8 against West Virginia. After returning to action, he aggravated the injury March 1 at Oklahoma State.
Winslow visits
Former Duke forward Justise Winslow worked out for the Sixers on Friday.
The franchise picks third overall in Thursday's NBA draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
According to a source, Winslow, listed at 6-foot-6 and 221 pounds, got to the basket at will in a workout that included the Sixers getting a second look at Delaware State power forward/center Kendall Gray.
In December, Winslow wasn't an obvious candidate to turn pro after one season of college basketball. However, he made steady improvement and averaged 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds during Duke's six-game run in the NCAA tournament. He shot 50.9 percent from the field and 57.1 percent on three-pointers during that stretch to help lead the Blue Devils to the national championship.
Winslow can score in a variety of ways. His actual height is one of his shortcomings; Winslow has measured 6-41/2 without shoes.
Gray and Alan Williams of UC Santa Barbara were the NCAA Division I rebounding co-leaders (11.8 per game).
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