Sixers' All-Star Joel Embiid Sends Out a Message on His 26th Birthday

On Monday, March 16th, Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid celebrated his birthday. Unfortunately, his birthday celebration might not have been as fun as previous ones, mainly because the Sixers were ordered to self-quarantine for the next two weeks.

Just last Wednesday, Embiid made his return to the court at the Wells Fargo Center. After missing over a week's worth of games due to a shoulder sprain, Embiid returned to the game, looking just as good as how he did before he went out with an injury.

Against Detroit, the Sixers' big man appeared on the floor for 27 minutes and picked up a double-double by knocking down 30 points and snagging 14 rebounds. Once again, it looked like Embiid was back to dominate for Philly, but the NBA's league-wide suspension put Embiid, and the rest of the league's season on hold for the time being.

And for Sixers players, they have to sit back and wait for their 14-day quarantine to be up before they can go on with their everyday lives. Therefore, Embiid more than likely laid low for his 26th birthday. However, just because he's in a not-so-normal situation for his big day, doesn't mean he isn't happy. Late on Monday night, Embiid uploaded a series of pictures to his Instagram, along with a message for his followers.

"Blessed to see another year but damn I’m getting old... I wish it could’ve been in different circumstances but all we can do is Pray and take the necessary measures to protect ourselves and others. Also TRUST THE PROCESS."

Had the season gone on without any suspension, the All-Star center would've had the opportunity to celebrate his big day with a home game against the Washington Wizards. The NBA had to take proper precautions in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak in America, though. When will Embiid truly get to return to full form for the Sixers? The answer remains unclear. At least when the NBA comes back, though, the All-Star will be fully refreshed, healthy, and ready to have a successful 2020 home stretch.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_