Joel Embiid facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Joel Embiid

Embiid with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019
No. 21 – Philadelphia 76ers
Center
Personal information
Born	(1994-03-16) 16 March 1994 (age 31) Yaoundé, Cameroon
Nationality	Cameroonian / French / American
High school	Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida) The Rock School (Gainesville, Florida)
Listed height	7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight	280 lb (127 kg)
Career information
College	Kansas (2013–2014)
NBA Draft	2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Pro career	2014–present
League	NBA
Career history
2014–present	Philadelphia 76ers
Career highlights and awards
NBA Most Valuable Player (2023) 7× NBA All-Star (2018–2024) All-NBA First Team (2023) 4× All-NBA Second Team (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022) 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2018, 2019, 2021) 2× NBA scoring champion (2022, 2023) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2017) Second-team All-Big 12 (2014) Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2014) Big 12 All-Defensive Team (2014) Big 12 All-Newcomer Team (2014)
Medals Men's basketball Representing the  United States Olympic Games Gold 2024 Paris Team

Joel Hans Embiid (born March 16, 1994) is a professional basketball player from Cameroon and America. He plays as a center for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

After playing one year of college basketball for the Kansas Jayhawks, Joel was chosen third overall in the 2014 NBA draft by the 76ers. Standing 7 feet tall, Embiid has been an NBA All-Star seven times. He has also been named to the All-NBA Team five times and the All-Defensive Team three times.

Joel Embiid has led the NBA in scoring twice. He was named the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2023. He also won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team in 2024.

Early in his career, Joel faced several foot and knee injuries. These injuries kept him from playing for two seasons until 2016–17. Despite playing only 31 games that season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Embiid calls himself "the Process" because of the team's rebuilding time when he first started playing. He was the first center to lead the NBA in scoring since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. He was also the first foreign player to win the NBA scoring title.

Early Life and Basketball Start

Joel Embiid was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon. His father, Thomas Embiid, was a military officer. As a child, Joel played volleyball and soccer. He first wanted to play professional volleyball in Europe.

At age 15, he started playing basketball. He looked up to NBA Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon. Luc Mbah a Moute, another NBA player from Yaoundé, discovered Embiid at a basketball camp. With Luc as his guide, Joel moved to the United States at 16. He wanted to become a professional basketball player.

Embiid first went to Montverde Academy, Luc Mbah a Moute's old school. But he moved after his first year because he didn't play much. He then went to The Rock School in Gainesville, Florida. In his final year, he helped his team win a state championship. He averaged 13.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game.

Joel was a top recruit and decided to play for Kansas in November 2012.

College Basketball Career

Embiid with the Kansas Jayhawks in 2014

Embiid played one year at the University of Kansas. His teammate there was Andrew Wiggins. In February 2014, he was a finalist for the Naismith College Player of the Year award. During the 2013–14 season, he played 28 games. He averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game.

He earned the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year award. He was also named to the second-team All-Big 12. In March 2014, Embiid got a stress fracture in his back. This injury made him miss the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments that year. Kansas lost early in the NCAA tournament.

Professional Basketball Career

Joining the NBA: 2014 Draft

On April 9, 2014, Embiid decided to enter the 2014 NBA draft. This meant he would not play his last three years of college. On June 20, 2014, he had surgery on a broken bone in his right foot. He was expected to be out for several months.

Six days later, the Philadelphia 76ers picked him third overall. This made him the third player from Cameroon to join the NBA. He was also the highest-picked player from Cameroon ever.

Philadelphia 76ers (2014–present)

Early Seasons: Dealing with Injuries (2014–2016)

Embiid practicing with the 76ers in 2014

On August 26, 2014, Embiid signed his first contract with the 76ers. It was clear he would likely miss the entire 2014–15 season due to his foot injury. In June 2015, doctors found his foot was not healing as expected.

He had a second surgery on his right foot in August 2015. This meant he would also miss the entire 2015–16 season.

First Season: All-Rookie Honors (2016–17)

On October 4, 2016, Embiid played his first preseason game. He scored 6 points and had 4 rebounds in 13 minutes. On October 26, 2016, he finally made his NBA regular-season debut. He scored 20 points and had 7 rebounds in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

On November 1, he got his first "double-double" (double-digit points and rebounds). He scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds. On November 19, he scored a career-high 26 points in a win. He was named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month twice.

In December, he set a new career high with 33 points. In January 2017, he grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds. He was also named Eastern Conference Player of the Week. He was chosen for the 2017 Rising Stars Challenge.

In February 2017, it was found that Embiid had a torn meniscus in his left knee. This injury kept him out of the All-Star Weekend events. He missed the rest of the 2016–17 season. He had surgery on his knee in March 2017. At the end of the season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Becoming an All-Star (2017–18)

On October 10, 2017, Embiid signed a big contract extension with the 76ers. On October 18, he started the new season with 18 points and 13 rebounds. On November 15, Embiid scored a career-high 46 points. He also had 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 7 blocks in a win. This was the most points by a Philadelphia player in 11 years.

Embiid dunking the basketball in 2018

On January 18, he was chosen as a starter for the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. He was the first 76ers player to be an All-Star starter since Allen Iverson in 2010. On March 28, Embiid injured his left eye. He had surgery and missed the first two playoff games.

He made his playoff debut in Game 3 against the Miami Heat. He helped the 76ers win the series. In the next round, the 76ers lost to the Boston Celtics in five games.

Playoff Challenges (2018–19)

On October 24, 2018, Embiid had 30 points and 19 rebounds. He was the first 76ers player to do this since Charles Barkley in 1991. He started the season with a double-double in his first six games. On November 1, he scored 41 points and had 13 rebounds.

On November 14, he got his first "triple-double" (double-digit points, rebounds, and assists). He had 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. On December 14, he scored 40 points and had 21 rebounds. He was the first 76ers player to do this since Barkley in 1990.

Embiid missed 14 games after the All-Star break due to rest and injury. In the playoffs, he battled illness but still played well. The 76ers lost in seven games to the Toronto Raptors.

First Round Exit (2019–20)

On October 31, 2019, Embiid was suspended for two games after an argument with another player. On November 25, he had 13 rebounds but scored no points for the first time in his career. On February 24, 2020, Embiid scored a career-high 49 points and had 14 rebounds.

On August 1, Embiid scored 41 points and had 21 rebounds in a game played in the "Orlando bubble" during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the playoffs, the 76ers were eliminated in the first round. Embiid averaged a career-high 30 points per game in the playoffs.

MVP Runner-Up (2020–21)

On February 20, 2021, Embiid scored a career-high 50 points and had 17 rebounds. He led the 76ers to the best record in the Eastern Conference. He finished second in the voting for the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.

In the playoffs, Embiid had a playoff career-high 40 points and 13 rebounds in a win against the Atlanta Hawks. However, Philadelphia lost to Atlanta in seven games.

First Scoring Title (2021–22)

Embiid at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game

On August 17, 2021, Embiid signed a new four-year contract. He missed nine games after testing positive for COVID-19. In his first game back, he scored 42 points and had 14 rebounds. On December 6, Embiid scored 43 points, grabbed 15 rebounds, and had 7 assists.

On January 19, 2022, Embiid matched his career high with 50 points. On February 12, he got his fourth career triple-double with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and 10 assists. He was the first 76ers player since Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 to have a 40-point triple-double.

At the end of the season, Embiid was named the NBA scoring champion. He averaged 30.6 points per game. He was the first center to do this since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. He was also the first foreign player to win an NBA scoring title.

During the playoffs, Embiid injured his thumb and later suffered a mild concussion and a right orbital fracture (eye injury). He missed games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where Philadelphia lost to Miami. He had surgery on his thumb and finger after the season.

NBA MVP and Second Scoring Title (2022–23)

On November 13, 2022, Embiid scored a career-high 59 points. He also had 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 7 blocks. He became the first NBA player ever to have 50 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks in a game. This was the fifth-best scoring game in 76ers history.

On December 11, Embiid had 53 points and 11 rebounds. He became the third player in 76ers history to have multiple 50-point games in one season. On January 3, he won his fifth Eastern Conference Player of the Month award. This broke Allen Iverson's record for the most in 76ers history.

A poster celebrating Embiid's MVP award in Philadelphia, April 2023

On January 28, Embiid scored 47 points, had a season-high 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. On February 15, Embiid scored his 10,000th career point. He reached this milestone faster than any other 76ers player, in just 373 games.

On April 4, Embiid scored 52 points on excellent shooting. He also had 13 rebounds and 6 assists. He became only the second player in NBA history to have at least 50 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists while shooting 80% or better.

On April 9, Embiid was named the NBA scoring champion for the second year in a row. He averaged 33.1 points per game. On May 2, Embiid won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He was the fifth 76ers player to win this award.

In the playoffs, Embiid had 34 points and 13 rebounds in a win against the Boston Celtics. The 76ers eventually lost the series to the Celtics in seven games.

Career High in Scoring and Knee Surgery (2023–24)

On November 6, 2023, Embiid scored 48 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists. He scored 29 points in the third quarter alone. On December 6, Embiid scored 50 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. On December 20, Embiid scored a season-high 51 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. He had his 12th straight game with 30 or more points and 10-plus rebounds.

In December, he averaged over 40 points per game. He became the first player in NBA history to average 40 or more points in a month while shooting 60% from the field.

On January 2, 2024, Embiid had a triple-double with 31 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. He did this in only three quarters. On January 22, Embiid scored an amazing 70 points. He also had 18 rebounds and 5 assists in a win. This broke the 76ers franchise record for most points in a game. He became the ninth player in NBA history to score 70 or more points.

On February 1, it was announced that Embiid would miss several games due to a knee injury. He had surgery on his left knee. On April 2, Embiid returned from surgery. He scored 24 points and helped the 76ers win.

On April 25, 2024, Embiid scored a playoff career-high 50 points. After the game, he shared that he had been diagnosed with Bell's palsy, which caused him to have migraines and blurred vision. In Game 5, Embiid recorded his first playoff triple-double. The 76ers lost to the New York Knicks in six games. Embiid averaged a career-high 33.0 points in the playoffs.

Recent News (2024–25)

On November 2, 2024, Embiid had an argument with a reporter. Three days later, he received a three-game suspension. This suspension will start when he is healthy enough to play. On November 21, 2024, it was reported that teammate Tyrese Maxey spoke to Embiid about being late to team activities.

National Team Career

Embiid could play for the national basketball teams of Cameroon, France, or the United States. In July 2022, he became a French citizen. Later in September, he also became a U.S. citizen.

Embiid decided to play for the 2024 U.S. Olympic team in Paris. He said he wanted to win a gold medal for his son, who was born in the U.S. During the Olympics, French fans sometimes booed him for choosing to play for the United States. He helped Team USA win the gold medal.

Embiid has said he might play for Cameroon in the future. But he would need special permission to do so.

Personal Life

Embiid with his son at the NBA All-Star Game in 2022

Joel Embiid's younger brother, Arthur, passed away in a car crash in Cameroon in 2014. Joel also has a younger sister. He speaks English, French, and Basaa. Since 2018, Embiid has been in a relationship with Brazilian model Anne de Paula. They had a son in September 2020 and got married in July 2023.

Embiid is known for his fun personality and active presence on social media. He is Catholic and does not drink alcohol. He is a big fan of the soccer team Real Madrid CF.

In March 2021, Embiid donated $100,000, his winnings from the 2021 NBA All-Star Game. He gave this money to help fight homelessness in Philadelphia. He received an award for his community work.

Career Statistics

NBA

Regular Season

Play-in

Playoffs

College

See also

In Spanish: Joel Embiid para niños

• List of NBA players born outside the United States
• List of NBA annual scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-season scoring leaders
• List of NBA single-game playoff scoring leaders
• List of NBA All-Stars