Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid

Embiid playing for the Kansas Jayhawks in 2013
No. 21 – Philadelphia 76ers
Position Center
League NBA
Personal information
Born (1994-03-16) 16 March 1994
Yaoundé, Cameroon
Nationality Cameroonian
Listed height 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight 275 lb (125 kg)
Career information
High school The Rock School
(Gainesville, Florida)
College Kansas (2013–2014)
NBA draft 2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Selected by the Philadelphia 76ers
Playing career 2014–present
Career history
2014–present Philadelphia 76ers
Career highlights and awards
  • Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2014)
  • Second-team All-Big 12 (2014)
  • Big 12 All-Defensive Team (2014)
  • Big 12 All-Newcomer Team (2014)
Stats at NBA.com

Joel Hans Embiid (joh-EL EM-beed;[1] born 16 March 1994) is a Cameroonian professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After one year of college basketball at the University of Kansas, he was drafted with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft by the 76ers, which made him the third Cameroonian-born NBA player after Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje and Luc Mbah a Moute, as well as being the highest selected player from Cameroon.[2]

High school career

Embiid was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to military officer Thomas Embiid[2] and his wife, Christine. He had originally planned on playing professional volleyball in Europe[3] but started playing basketball at the age of fifteen, modeling his game after NBA Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon.[2][3] Embiid was discovered at a basketball camp by Luc Mbah a Moute, a fellow native of Yaounde and an NBA player.[3][4] With Mbah a Moute serving as mentor, Embiid moved to the United States at the age of sixteen to devote himself to becoming a professional basketball player.[5]

Embiid enrolled at Montverde Academy, but transferred after his first year.[3] Embiid then attended The Rock School, a Christian academy, in Gainesville, Florida. As a senior he led the team to a 33-4 record and state championship, by averaging 13.0 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game.

He was a five-star recruit according to Rivals.com[6][7] and committed to Kansas in November 2012.[5]

College career

Kansas (2013–2014)

Embiid attended the University of Kansas for one year. On 13 February 2014, he was named one of the 30 finalists for the Naismith College Player of the Year.[8] In 2013–14, he played 28 games, averaging 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.6 blocks in 23.1 minutes per game.[9]

On 11 March 2014, ESPN announced that Embiid was expected to miss the Big 12 tournament, and was "unlikely to play the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament" due to a stress fracture in his back.[10] Kansas lost in the third round of the tournament, before Embiid could return.

College statistics

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2013–14 Kansas 28 20 23.1 .626 .200 .685 8.1 1.4 .9 2.6 11.2
Career 28 20 23.1 .626 .200 .685 8.1 1.4 .9 2.6 11.2

Professional career

2014 NBA draft

On 9 April 2014, Embiid declared for the 2014 NBA draft, foregoing his final three years of college eligibility.[11] On 20 June 2014, he underwent surgery on a broken navicular bone in his right foot, and was subsequently ruled out for four to six months.[12] Six days later, he was selected with the third overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers.[13]

Embiid shooting with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014.

Philadelphia 76ers (2014–present)

On 26 August 2014, Embiid signed his rookie scale contract with the Philadelphia 76ers.[14][15] He was later ruled unlikely to play at all in the 2014–15 season due to the broken navicular bone in his foot.[16] After missing the entire 2014–15 season, it was announced on 13 June 2015 that Embiid had suffered a setback in his recovery after a CT scan revealed less healing than anticipated.[17] It was later determined that Embiid's chances of playing in the 2015–16 season were slim following a second round of surgery on his right foot on August 18, 2015.[18][19]

Personal life

Embiid is the son of Thomas and Christine Embiid. His younger brother, Arthur, died on October 16, 2014 in Africa in a car crash.[20][21] He also has a younger sister named Muriel.[22]

References

  1. ↑ "Game notes, KU Vs. Baylor 2014" (PDF). CSTV.com.
  2. 1 2 3 Con, Jordan (27 June 2014). "Started From Yaoundé, Now He's Here". Grantland. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 DeCourcy, Mike (23 January 2014). "Joel Embiid's pursuit of hoops greatness not just a Dream". The Sporting News. Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  4. ↑ Report: Kansas basketball star Joel Embiid will enter NBA Draft
  5. 1 2 Telep, Dave (13 November 2012). "Kansas lands recruit Joel Embiid". ESPN (ESPN Internet Ventures). Retrieved 27 June 2014.
  6. ↑ "KU's Embiid grows as a basketball player".
  7. ↑ Rivals.com
  8. ↑ "2013–14 Men's Naismith Trophy Midseason 30". Naismith Awards. 13 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
  9. ↑ "Joel Embiid Stats". Sports-reference. Retrieved 2 October 2014.
  10. ↑ Goodman, Jeff (11 March 2014). "Joel Embiid out indefinitely". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  11. ↑ Golliver, Ben (9 April 2014). "Kansas’ Joel Embiid declares for 2014 NBA draft". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  12. ↑ Amico, Sam (21 June 2014). "No. 1 question: How far will Joel Embiid fall?". Fox Sports Ohio. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  13. ↑ "Sixers draft Joel Embiid at No. 3". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. 27 June 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Joel Embiid Signs Rookie Deal With 76ers
  15. ↑ Sixers Sign Joel Embiid
  16. ↑ 76ers Unsure If Joel Embiid Will Play At All This Season
  17. ↑ "Statement from Sixers GM Sam Hinkie". NBA.com. Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. 13 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  18. ↑ Road to Recovery Again, Joel Embiid Undergoes Second Surgery
  19. ↑ 76ers center Embiid to miss season following foot surgery
  20. ↑ Associated Press (October 16, 2014). "Joel Embiid's brother dies in Africa". ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  21. ↑ Haberstroh, Tom (10 March 2016). "TrueHoop Presents: The man charged with healing Joel Embiid". ESPN. Retrieved 14 March 2016.
  22. ↑ "Joel Embiid - 2013-14 Men's Basketball". University of Kansas Athletics. Retrieved October 29, 2014.

External links

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