22 Facts About Joel Embiid

1. Joel Embiid is a five-time NBA All-Star, a four-time member of the All-NBA Team and a three-time member of the All-Defensive Team.

2. Joel Embiid was born in Yaounde, Cameroon, to military officer Thomas Joel Embiid and his wife, Christine.

3. Joel Embiid played volleyball and soccer in childhood and originally planned to play professional volleyball in Europe but started playing basketball at age 15, modeling his game after NBA Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon.

4. Joel Embiid was discovered at a basketball camp by Luc Mbah a Moute, a fellow native of Yaounde and an NBA player.

5. Joel Embiid missed that year's Big 12 tournament and NCAA Tournament.

6. On 9 April 2014, Joel Embiid declared for the 2014 NBA draft, forgoing his final three years of college eligibility.

7. On 26 August 2014, Joel Embiid signed his rookie scale contract with the 76ers.

8. On 4 October 2016, Joel Embiid started at center in the 76ers' first preseason game against the Boston Celtics.

9. On 26 October 2016, Joel Embiid made his long-awaited NBA regular-season debut in the 76ers' season opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

10. Joel Embiid said in his postgame press conference after Game 5 that he felt there should have been a foul called on his potential game-tying layup attempt with under 20 seconds left.

11. Joel Embiid joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only other big man in team history with multiple triple-doubles in the same season.

12. Joel Embiid finished the season missing 14 games after the All-Star break, including five of the final seven games, due to rest and injury.

13. Joel Embiid battled through illness and flu-like symptoms during the second round of the playoffs, which the Sixers lost in seven games to the Toronto Raptors.

14. Joel Embiid was second in NBA Most Valuable Player Award voting.

15. On 17 August 2021, Joel Embiid signed a four-year, $196 million extension with the 76ers.

16. Joel Embiid missed nine games due to testing positive for COVID-19.

17. Joel Embiid became the first Sixers player with a 40-point triple-double since Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.

18. Joel Embiid is eligible to compete for Cameroon national basketball team.

19. On 7 February 2017, Joel Embiid was named to the preliminary team to compete in the 2017 FIBA AfroBasket in the Republic of Congo, with the group qualifier taking place in March, during the NBA regular season.

20. In 2022, Joel Embiid began the process of obtaining French citizenship, which would allow him to play for the French national team.

21. Joel Embiid is known for his playful personality and social media presence, particularly for his trolling.

22. In March 2021, Joel Embiid donated $100,000 to fight homelessness in Philadelphia, for which he received the NBA Cares Community Assist Award in April 2021.