Joel Embiid will skip the Knicks’ ring ceremony: ‘I’ll be in the locker room’

Joel Embiid has no plans to watch the New York Knicks celebrate their 2026 championship. The Philadelphia 76ers star told reporters he will remain in the locker room while the Knicks raise their title banner at Madison Square Garden ahead of Tuesday’s season opener.

“No,” Embiid said when asked if there is any significance for him in facing the Knicks in their first game of the season. “I don’t really feel like watching the whole ceremony, so I guess I’ll be in the locker room.

“But it’s a regular season, so it’s time to go. First game, there’s nothing really special about it. The way I see it is taking it day by day, slowly getting better. I’ve got one thing in my mind, but it’s about the process that it takes to get there, so that’s what I’m focused on.”

The opener doubles as LeBron James’ first official game in a 76ers uniform and a rematch of last season’s second-round playoff series, which the Knicks swept on their way to the 2026 title.