When looking at players who’ve gone through similar injury situations as Joel Embiid and went on to have productive careers, the list is quite slim; however, one name that does stand out is that of former Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Big Z broke the navicular bone in his left foot five games into the 1999 campaign, the second season of his career. He missed the remainder of that season, as well as the entirety of his age-24 season the following year.
Big Z ultimately went on to play 62 games in the 2002 season and then at least 73 games from 2003 to 2008, making two All-Star teams in that time frame.