Joel Embiid Biography Details, Age, Net Worth, & Basketball Career

Joel Embiid is a pro basketball player from Cameroon who currently plays center for the Philadelphia 76ers. He was born March 16, 1994, in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. After initially hoping to pursue a career as a pro volleyball player, Embiid began playing basketball at age 15. He was discovered by former NBA player Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who is also from Yaoundé and helped Embiid move to the United States at age 16 to pursue a basketball career.

After playing one year of college basketball at Kansas, Embiid was the 3rd overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft despite a foot injury that was expected to sideline him for several months. A setback injury ultimately prevented him from playing during his first two seasons in the NBA. Embiid didn’t make his NBA debut until the 2016-17 season but did enough in 31 games to make the All-Rookie First Team. 

In October 2017, Embiid signed a five-year, $148 million deal with the 76ers. He then began to emerge as one of the best big men in the NBA. Embiid was named an all-star in 2018, 2019, and 2020. He was also an all-NBA Second-Team and All-Defensive Second Team selection in 2018 and 2019.

Joel Embiid Basketball Career

Joel Embiid Net Worth, Salary, Endorsements & Career Earnings

Ahead of the 2019-20 season, Joel Embiid had earned $45.4 million from his NBA salary. A majority of that came from his $25.4 million salary during the 2018-19 season, which was the first year after signing a five-year extension with the 76ers in 2017. His salary will cross the $30 million threshold for the first time during the 2021-22 season. Embiid also has a lucrative endorsement deal with Under Armour.

Joel Embiid signed a four-year, $20 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014.

Joel Embiid signed a five-year, $148 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2017.

Joel Embiid Personal Life

Embiid was born in the Cameroon capital city of Yaoundé to parents Thomas and Christine Embiid. He grew up with two younger siblings, a brother named Arthur and a sister named Muriel. Unfortunately, Arthur passed away in a car accident in 2014 at the age of 16.

Embiid has been in a relationship with Brazilian model Anne de Paula since 2018.

Awards & Achievements

Joel Embiid Quotes

• "TRUST THE PROCESS"
• “I want to win the MVP. I feel like, at the end of the day, it might be an individual award, but when I play better, the team also does.”
• “When I look at myself, I'm not a big man - I'm a guard. I can do everything on the basketball court. You can name it - pass, post up, shoot the ball, bring the ball up, being a playmaker - so I'm excited to break that stereotype.”
• “I'm trying to dominate, and if you dominate, you're going to be hated because you're going to talk so much stuff.”
• “I love competing. I mean, if you ask anybody around me, my coaches, they know I love competing. I hate losing.”
• “The Process is never going to end. It's an ongoing thing. I don't think it's ever going to stop. As I have explained before, it's a process for making it to the playoffs, it's another one to make the conference finals, another one to actually go to The Finals and win the championship.”

Joel Embiid Fun Facts

• Joel Embiid is fluent in English, French, and Basaa, a language that’s native to Cameroon.
• Joel Embiid gave himself the nickname “The Process” in response to the adage “trust the process.”
• Joel Embiid abstains from drinking alcohol but has been known to drink three or four pitchers of Shirley Temples.
• Joel Embiid has been known to flirt with women on Instagram, even married women.
• Joel Embiid fabricated a story about how he killed a lion when he was six-years-old.
• While at Kansas, Joel Embiid tried and failed to learn how to drive a car four times.
• Joel Embiid nearly quit basketball after injuries prevented him from playing for two and a half years.
• Joel Embiid believes that if he didn’t play basketball, he would be good enough to play on the Cameroon National Soccer Team.