Biography
TEAM: Philadelphia 76ers POSITION: Center
HT/WT: 7′ 0″, 280 lbs DOB: 3/16/1994 (28)
COLLEGE: Kansas DRAFT INFO: 2014: Rd 1, Pk 3 (PHI)
STATUS: Active EXPERIENCE: 5th Season
BIRTHPLACE: Yaounde, Cameroon
Career History
Philadelphia 76ers: 2016-CURRENT (6 SEASONS)
Career Highlights
4xAll-NBA 2nd Team (2022, 2021, 2019, 2018)
3xAll-Defensive 2nd Team (2021, 2019, 2018)
All-Rookie 1st Team (2017)
Joel Embiid is a Cameroonian professional basketball player playing for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was born in a small town in Cameroon called Yaounde. He was born to military officer Thomas Embiid and his wife, Christine. He didn’t plan to play basketball, dreaming to be a professional volleyball player in Europe. He was discovered by a fellow native of Yaoundé and an NBA player, Luc Mbah a Moute. He soon moved to the United States at age 16 to devote himself to becoming a professional basketball player, under the mentorship of Luc Mbah a Moute.
He was picked third overall by the 76ers in the 2014 NBA draught after one year of collegiate basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks. Due to a series of foot and knee ailments, he did not make his NBA debut until 2016–17, when he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team despite only appearing in 31 games. Embiid is a five-time NBA All-Star, four-time All-NBA Team member, and three-time All-Defensive Team member. He earned the nickname “the Process” after 76ers supporters told him to “believe the process” during the Sam Hinkie era. Embiid led the NBA in scoring during the 2021–22 season, becoming the first center to do so since Shaquille O’Neal (2000), as well as the first center to average over 30 points per game since Moses Malone (1982), and the first foreign player to do so since Shaquille O’Neal (2000).
Professional career
2014 NBA draft
He was picked by Philadelphia 76ers with their third overall pick. He became the third and the highest picked Cameroonian player to be picked at the NBA draft, with Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje and Luc Mbah a Moute being the other two.
Philadelphia 76ers (2014–present)
Injury-plagued seasons (2014–2016)
He didn’t play much of the 2014-15 season due to a broken navicular bone in his foot. He missed the entire 2015-16 season.
2016–17 season: All-Rookie honors
2017–18 season: First All-Star and All-NBA appearances
2018–19 season: Playoff disappointment
2019–20 season: First round exit
2020–21 season: MVP runner-up
2021–22 season: First scoring title
Comments