Joel Embiid finally played in the NBA after fully recovering from an injury that almost cost him his career. Embiid played his first game for the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday against the Boston Celtics, finishing with six points, four rebounds, and two blocks, with nearly 13 minutes of playing time.

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The Sixers picked Embiid as the third overall draft pick in June 2014, just a couple of days after a successful foot surgery. Forced to sit down for the rest of the season without a single minute under his belt, Embiid came close to calling his career quits when his brother died in a tragic car accident in October 2014.

Embiid has never played a full basketball game in more than two years. This handicap manifested after he turned the ball over a couple of times, and looking lost when his team is on defense. Despite this rather rough start, many sports analysts believe that he is a viable all-star in the making.

Sixers center Jahlil Okafor, who did not play in his team's preseason opener, extended his joy to see Embiid finally back on track. In a statement acquired by Philly.com, Okafor said, "To be disappointed two years in a row to go through not playing and now he's finally here. So it's a great story, and I'm excited to see him play."

TagsJoel Embiid, Sixers, NBA, nba preseason, Philadelphia, philadelphia 76ers, 76ers