🏀 Embiid down | Sports Daily Newsletter

Not trying to kick off your day, one that’s slated to reach the mid-70s, on a down note, but I’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about the 7-foot-2 elephant in the room.

If you haven’t heard, Joel Embiid is set to undergo arthroscopic surgery again to repair his ailing left knee, one that saw him play less than a third of the 2024-25 season and the same knee he’ll have surgery on for the second time in 14 months.

The seven-time NBA All-Star hasn’t played since February and was shut down that same month. And while sources say that this latest go-around will shutter the Sixers center for at least six weeks until he’s reevaluated, one has to wonder about the future of the player who is still considered the lynchpin to the team’s hopes of an NBA title.

After all, that’s why the franchise gifted him a veteran max deal with an estimated value of well over $192 million through the 2028-29 season — and patiently awaits a return on their investment.

It’s said — in fact, by Embiid himself — that this surgery could help him get back to playing at an elite level. But how can anyone be sure with one look at his history?

That’s my question for you this Thursday.

Enjoy today, Philly.

— Kerith Gabriel, @phillysport, [email protected].

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The torpedo is coming to Citizens Bank Park. Rather than risk falling behind in the craze that’s sweeping baseball, the Phillies are scheduled to meet next week with the company that manufactures the torpedo bat, hitting coach Kevin Long said Wednesday.

“Everybody’s going to be involved,” Long told Phillies Extra, The Inquirer’s baseball show, in an interview that drops Friday morning. “We’ll get a better understanding of the whole science behind it and see if it’s something that we can exploit and use to our benefit and help some of our players.”

Speaking of help, the Phillies received some by way of a record-setting night from ace Zack Wheeler in a 5-1 rout of the Rockies.

Next: The Phillies wrap up their series with the Rockies at 1:05 p.m. today (NBC10, NBCSP). Taijuan Walker will start against Rockies right-hander Antonio Senzatela.

In 2018, the Eagles were happy to win the Super Bowl, and who can blame them, given it was the franchise’s first?

This year, the tone around the team is much different, as the Eagles don’t seem happy with their accomplishment but rather focused on building on it.

Speaking of chasing a third Super Bowl, don’t confuse the Eagles’ offseason roster trimming for Jeffrey Lurie taking his foot off the pedal. When asked if he planned on continuing to spend in order to build the best Eagles roster possible, Lurie responded: “‘I only know one way.”

That will be music to Philadelphia’s ears.

There was a new face at Flyers practice Wednesday and he was wearing No. 23.

No, it wasn’t Michael Jordan … it was Karsen Dorwart, who signed an entry-level deal with the Flyers on Saturday. Dorwart, an undrafted center out of Michigan State, is poised to make his NHL debut this Saturday in Montreal.

But while the 22-year-old will make a “dream come true” by suiting up against the Canadiens, Dorwart has racked up some serious miles on his way from Oregon to East Lansing and now Broad Street.

A week before his formal press conference, new Villanova coach Kevin Willard jumped on a virtual conference call with media members on Wednesday.

The back-and-forth, albeit brief, provided a good deal of insight — and answered a number of burning questions about his plan of attack as ‘Nova Nation hopes he has the tools to recruit a squad primed to go dancing again.

Inquirer writer Jeff Neiburg offers these five takeaways from yesterday’s conversation.

In the meantime, the Wildcats are still dancing, just at a different party, and with interim coach Mike Nardi, after a first-round defeat of Colorado in the upstart College Basketball Crown tournament. Next up is Southern Cal in a late one from Las Vegas tonight (9:30 p.m., FS1).

April 3, 2022: Dawn Staley wins the battle of the Philly-area coaches, leading South Carolina to its second NCAA women’s championship after a 64-49 defeat of Connecticut, led by famed coach and Norristown native Geno Auriemma. In the victory, Staley became the first Black coach of a Division I basketball program, men or women, to win two national championships.

Here’s a place to access your favorite Philadelphia teams’ statistics, schedules, and standings in real time.

We asked: Nick Sirianni’s contract expires after 2025. Should the Eagles get a deal done and pay him?

The Eagles should definitely bring back Coach Sirianni. A few reason: he got the team to two super bowls in three years, he seems to have the full support of the players (much more important than whether or not the fans approve of him), he survived the bad end to a season only to resurrect a Super Bowl winner, his winning percentage is at the top of the league and maybe most importantly- he instituted a play that has all of the other teams so jealous that they want to ban it because they cannot stop it. A really great resume, why in the world would you let a guy like this leave the building? — Bill H.

Absolutely! Sweeten the deal the way a corporation would: one percent of the team for every Super Bowl he wins going forward! He’s helped turn the Eagles into the Peoples’ Team, and their success is his success. No more Santa snowball jokes. These are the blue-collar guys who brought down the Chiefs. A second-round qb. A rugby player turned OL. A running back discarded by a division foe setting records. Pay him and let the Birds fly! — Joel G.

I personally have always been a big fan and believer of Coach [Sirianni]. Just pay the man! 4 years, 4 playoff appearances, 2 Division Titles, and 2 NFC Title appearances, all of which were wins. 1 Super Bowl win. 1 SBMVP. 1 OPOY Just! Pay! The! Man! — Brinson S.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Keith Pompey, Jasen Lo, John Duchneskie, Jeff Neiburg, Jeff McLane, Jackie Spiegel, Scott Lauber, Ariel Simpson, Devin Jackson, Isabella DiAmore, and Owen Hewitt.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

That’s all I have for you today. Make sure you get out and enjoy today. Jim returns tomorrow to get you ready for the weekend. — Kerith