Joel Embiid

Joel Hans Embiid is a Cameroonian professional basketball player who plays as a center for the Philadelphia 76ers and is currently playing his 6th NBA season. He was the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft. 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. He was a six-time All-Star, four-time All-NBA Team member, and a three-time member of the NBA All-Defensive team.

Early Life

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 high school career. He played his college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks where he would earn many conference accolades before declaring for the 2014 NBA Draft.

NBA Journey

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 the eventual winner, Nikola Jokić. The season ended in disappointment as the 76ers lost to the Atlanta Hawks in the second round of the playoffs.

Records

• In the 2017 season, while playing against the LA Lakers, Embiid recorded a then-career-high 46 points, the most by a Philadelphia player in 11 years, and pulled down 15 rebounds.

• He was selected as a starter for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game, making him the first Philadelphian player chosen as a starter since Allen Iverson.

• He became the seventh player in NBA history to record 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 200 blocks in his first 100 games.

• He became the first Sixers player since Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 to record a 40-point, triple-double.

• In the 2021-22 season, Embiid was named the NBA scoring champion, being the first center to win the award since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000.

• Since blocks became an official stat in the 1973–74 season, he became the only player in NBA history to have 50 points, 10 boards, five assists, and five blocks in a single game.

• In just 373 games, he surpassed Allen Iverson to become the Sixers player with the fastest career 10,000-point total.

NBA Accolades

Joel Embiid Net Worth

Joel Embiid has amassed a net worth of around $85 million. His current NBA Contract will pay him $213,280,928 through the 2026-2027 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).

Read more about Joel Embiid net worth.

Family

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.

Wife

The American Center for the Philadelphia 76ers had been dating a Brazilian model Anne de Paula since 2018. She started modeling at the age of 13, and in 2017, after appearing in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue, she received international attention. They both started as friends before entering into the relationship. She was raised playing soccer and was born in Rio de Janeiro, one of the largest cities in Brazil. The couple together welcomed their first child, Arthur, in September 2020.

Recently, it was reported that on July 22, 2023, the beautiful pair officially got married to start a new chapter in their lives. According to the People website, the celebrity couple got married in Southhamptom, New York on Cryder Beach and exchanged vows in a church ceremony.

Read more about Joel Embiid's wife.

Shoes

Earlier when Joel Embid was starting his career he signed with Adidas and displayed several inexpensive models, including the Adidas Light Em Up 2 and the Adidas Mad Bounce. In October 2018 Under Armour and Embiid agreed to a multi-year sponsorship partnership and wore the HOVR Havoc silhouette. In 2020 Embiid has his first signature shoe the Under Armour Embiid 1.