Joel Embiid and the 76ers can't catch a break. Is the franchise cursed?
The ill-fated nature of the 76ers goes well beyond Embiid, who may be the most unfortunate player in the history of the game.
Each week during the 2025-26 NBA season, we will take a deeper dive into some of the league’s biggest storylines in an attempt to determine whether trends are based more in fact or fiction moving forward. Last week: There is an easy MVP case for Victor Wembanyama Fact or Fiction: The 76ers are cursed Ever since The Process, the Philadelphia 76ers and success have been star-crossed. The Process was a years-long attempt to rebuild through the draft.
Under then-general manager Sam Hinkie, the Sixers intentionally fielded inferior lineups in an effort to lose games. If that sounds familiar, it’s because that strategy has been employed — to lesser degrees — all over the NBA. The Oklahoma City Thunder built a championship from it.
It worked, somewhat, for the Sixers, too. They received top-three picks in four straight drafts, including one who became MVP of the league. This is the foundation of a team that, most anywhere else, would perennially win 50-plus games and compete for titles.
Joel Embiid is sidelined yet again, this time after undergoing surgery for appendicitis. (Photo by Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images) Isaiah Vazquez via Getty Images Not in Philadelphia, where they appear to be cursed. Their MVP, Joel Embiid, is the most unfortunate player in the history of the game.
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