Joel Hans Embiid is a Cameroonian professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Philadelphia 76ers. He is a modern NBA center who can bang in the post as well spot up from the perimeter. Although multiple injuries delayed his debut, he has made up for lost time and has become an NBA superstar.
Joel Embiid was born on March 16, 1994 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. He played soccer and volleyball as a child and only started playing basketball when he turned 15. He was discovered at a basketball camp held in his hometown by Luc Mbah a Moute. To pursue his newfound dream of playing professional basketball, he transferred to Montverde Academy, Florida. Due to a lack of playing time, Joel transferred to The Rock School where he finished off his highschool career. He played his college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks where he would earn many conference accolades before declaring for the 2014 NBA Draft.
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Joel with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He underwent surgeries for a foot injury that kept him out for the entirety of the 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 NBA Seasons. During the 2016-2017 season he made his long-awaited debut and played 31 games. Despite the minimal amount of game time, Joel had a big impact on his team and was selected to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Joel earned his first NBA All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defensive Team selections in his sophomore year. He quickly became one of the best big men in the league but injuries would hinder his minutes.
The 2020-2021 season was his best season in the NBA. He finished second in the MVP race. Had he not missed 21 regular season games, he probably would’ve finished ahead of eventual winner, Nikola Jokić. The season ended in disappointment as the 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the playoffs.
Joel Embiid has amassed a net worth of around $35 million. His current NBA Contract will pay him $31,579,390 through the 2021-2022 season. He signed a four year $196 million extension which will start after the 2022-2023 season. Embiid is estimated to earn around $6 million from his endorsement deals. His latest deals include one with Under Armour in 2018. Among his other deals are major companies like Amazon, Mountain Dew, and Electronic Arts (EA).
Joel was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon to Thomas and Christine Embiid. He has a younger sister whose name is Muriel. His younger brother, Arthur, passed away in 2014 in a car accident. He is currently dating Anne de Paula with whom he has a son. He named his son after his younger brother.
