McCain's last game was in mid-December last season, when he was an early Rookie of the Year frontrunner before a torn meniscus derailed his season.

Joel Embiid will miss his second game of the 2025-26 NBA season on Sunday. The one-time league MVP is ruled "out" from the Philadelphia 76ers' game against the Brooklyn Nets owing to left knee injury recovery.

After a 2024 campaign plagued by injuries, Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid has made a full recovery. While he’s still ramping up and getting back into basketball shape, his return has been a welcome boost for a 76ers team loaded with talent in a wide-open Eastern Conference.

Joel Embiid was fined $50,000 for a lewd gesture during Philadelphia’s narrow loss to Boston, but the reigning MVP’s strong return and chemistry with Tyrese Maxey have fueled a promising start for the 76ers.

It’s been a brutal season of never-ending despondency for Joel Embiid. The 76ers’ star center has only played 13 of the first 44 games of the 2024-25 season because of various injuries. Veteran fans of the Sixers know that Embiid’s frequent health-related “Did Not Plays” (DNPs) aren’t new.

After just a few minutes on the floor, it was obvious to see that Joel Embiid was far from his usual dominant self.

The NBA reviewed the footage and on Sunday announced a $50,000 fine for Embiid, per the league’s Executive Vice President and Head of Basketball Operations, James Jones. It’s unclear who the gesture was directed toward.

Joel Embiid (left knee injury recovery) will miss the 76ers’ matchup at the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, per the NBA’s injury report released Saturday evening.