Skip Bayless changes tune on Joel Embiid after being ‘blown away’ by his heroic return

After missing a big chunk of the 2023-24 regular season, Joel Embiid made his return on the hardwood against the OKC Thunder on Tuesday. Embiid suffered from a torn meniscus that needed to be surgically repaired. This kept the Philadelphia 76ers big man sidelined for 29 games.

Prominent sports analyst Skip Bayless initially didn't like the idea of Embiid making a comeback for the Sixers. He felt like the star big man's return wouldn't impact his team as much considering how the upcoming 2024 NBA Playoffs are around the corner. Bayless then criticized how Embiid lacked leadership and pointed out his inability to make his teammates better.

Skip Bayless' perception of Embiid changed later after witnessing his performance in his comeback game against the Thunder. In almost 30 minutes of play, the star big man carried Philadelphia to a 109-105 victory over OKC despite lacking key players such as Tyrese Maxey. Bayless had nothing but praise for Joel and had his breath taken away.

Watch Skip Bayless' comments on Joel Embiid's return below:

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Sixers vs Thunder recap: Joel Embiid makes a jaw-dropping return

The Philadelphia 76ers (41-35) recently defeated the OKC Thunder (52-23) thanks to the return of their star big man Joel Embiid and a solid performance by Kelly Oubre Jr. After missing almost half of the 2023-24 regular season, many fans were concerned about Embiid's court rust. However, the Sixers' big man proved that his surgically repaired meniscus wouldn't stop him from displaying his greatness.

Embiid contributed 24 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals in only 29 minutes of play in his return. Playing limited minutes while being able to carry his team proved that the star big man is a capable leader for the Sixers.

Of course, Joel Embiid wasn't alone as Kelly Oubre Jr. provided some much-needed support, especially with Tyrese Maxey out of the lineup. Oubre Jr. added 25 points, six rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block.

Luckily for Philly, OKC lacked key players such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Despite lacking the presence of a star, the Thunder were expected to wipe the floor with the Sixers given everyone's expectation of Embiid struggling to find his rhythm due to court rust. Unfortunately, the Sixers' big man proved that no injury could stop him from dominating the game.

With the Philadelphia 76ers now winning two consecutive games, they are on track to potentially securing the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference. The Indiana Pacers (43-33) are currently ranked sixth in the East but are only two games ahead of Philadelphia. With that in mind, the Pacers will have to consistently win their remaining games if they want to avoid falling back down to the NBA Play-In Tournament picture.