Paul George opened up about the Philadelphia 76ers’ disappointing 2024–25 campaign, detailing his physical struggles during a season that fell far short of expectations.
Speaking on his podcast, George said he entered training camp healthy but suffered a preseason knee hyperextension that derailed his momentum before the season began.
The forward explained that he returned to action too early, playing through lingering pain and developing multiple complications, including a quad tendon issue and a torn adductor.
“I couldn’t move,” George admitted on the show, via HoopsHype. “Something ain’t right… I just couldn’t give them everything I had, because my body wasn’t where it was supposed to be.”
George, who signed a four-year, $212 million contract with Philadelphia in July 2024, was expected to form a championship core alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Instead, injuries and inconsistency limited him to 41 appearances, during which he averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 43 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from deep.
He missed the season’s first five games and was ruled out for the remainder of the year on March 17, with the team sitting at 23-45.
Despite receiving criticism from fans, George said he welcomed the pressure and held no resentment toward the city’s high expectations.
“Philly fans can be rough on you. I was cool with it… I want that heat. I want that pressure,” George said.
Philadelphia ultimately finished 24-58 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017, marking the franchise’s worst record in nearly a decade.
George’s most productive performance came on December 16, when he posted 33 points, eight assists, and five rebounds in a win over Charlotte, also passing Jason Terry for 10th on the NBA’s all-time three-point list. Later that month, he climbed to ninth by surpassing Vince Carter in made threes.
