76ers Star Sends Strong Message Following Contract Extension

76ers big man wants to stay in Philly for the rest of his career.

Apr 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) handles the ball against the New York Knicks during the first quarter of game 5 of the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In an era where star players are constantly on the move, the Philadelphia 76ers have been an outlier. They drafted Joel Embiid in 2014 with the hopes he'd become a star, and he's still a pillar for the franchise a decade later. Based on some of his recent statements it doesn't seem like that will be chaning anytime soon.

Just a few weeks before training camp, the Sixers decided to lock up their top talent long-term. The team announced Friday morning that Embiid has signed a three-year extension worth just shy of $193 million. His new deal could now potentially keep him in Philly through the 2029 season.

When the news became official, Embiid posted a photo of him signing the contract on his Instagram. He also made some strong statements in the caption. The first being that he only wants to play for the Sixers his entire career and stating that the city deserves a championship.

Philadelphia is home. I want to be here for the rest of my career.I love this community and everything you’ve given me and my family. There is a lot more work to do. You guys deserve a championship and I think we’re just getting started!

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A post shared by Joel "The Process" Embiid (@joelembiid)

Embiid enters his age 30 season still one of the NBA's most dominant stars. Before getting injured last season, he looked well on his way to taking home a second straight MVP. While it was in a smaller sample of games, Embiid still put up some of the best numbers of his career. In the regular season, he averaged 34.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG, and 5.6 APG.

Armed with a new contract and a pair of star-level running mates who are also signed long-term, everything is in place for Embiid and the Sixers to make a deep playoff run in 2025 and beyond.

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