Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid now a U.S. citizen, says it is a ‘blessing to be an American.’
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid now a U.S. citizen, says it is a ‘blessing to be an American.’ Embiid, born in Cameroon but now lives in Philadelphia, claimed he swore in as a citizen two weeks ago.
The NBA scoring champion and All-Star center for the Philadelphia 76ers, Joel Embiid, has spoken publicly about his family’s importance in his decision. Embiid and his Brazilian fiancée, Anne de Paula, have a 2-year-old kid.
Statements
Embiid told the Associated Press, “I’ve been here for a long time” while visiting the Sixers’ training camp at The Citadel. “My kid was born in the USA. Because of this place I call home; I consider it a great fortune to be an American citizen. Because of this, I reasoned, why not?”
Embiid, now 28, went to high school in Florida, played collegiate basketball for a year at Kansas, and was picked third overall by the 76ers in 2014. The obvious follow-up question is which country could Embiid play basketball for internationally? Embiid ended rumors by stating that it was far too soon to consider international competitions like the Olympics.
He told the Associated Press, “I just want to be healthy and win a championship and proceed from there.”
Due in large part to the fact that he missed his first two NBA seasons due to injury, Embiid has emerged as a formidable force in the NBA during the past six years.
Formerly a model of load management, Embiid broke his records for games played (68) and minutes played (33.8 per game) this past season and became the first player from outside the United States to win an NBA scoring title (30.6 points per game).
He’s been selected as an NBA All-Star five times and finished second to Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets in MVP voting in 2016–17.
Players
The Sixers haven’t had this much talent in their starting lineup since 2019; they might be in title contention with Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris, and P.J. Tucker.
Third-year head coach Doc Rivers has seen enough to know that scoring isn’t distributed equally and instead begins with Embiid. Moreover, he still has space for improvement.
In his Thursday press conference, Rivers emphasized the importance of improving as a teammate and contributing to the success of the group as a whole.
“Dominating is the next logical step. Leaving plenty of room for James to take the lead. Leaving plenty of room for Tyrese to take over. Allowing Tobias to play at his best. I believe he is in the process of doing it now.”
During the regular season, Embiid averaged 11.7 rebounds and 4.2 assists. Despite playing with an orbital fracture, Embiid led the 76ers to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second year in a row in the postseason, averaging 23.6 points and 10.7 rebounds. Both his right thumb (which he injured in the playoffs) and his left index finger (which he also injured) required surgery in the winter to repair damaged ligaments.
Remarks
“My thumb is still not the same,” Embiid remarked.
It’s impossible to prevent “freak accidents,” as Embiid put it. “My progress must be maintained. Only for the next 20 years will I be doing this. I want to take advantage of this window of opportunity and soak up as much as possible.”
As part of his dedication to staying on the court for as long as possible, Embiid once again spent the summer working on his game with trainer Drew Hanlen, an independent NBA expert for many stars.
Early in his career, Embiid was notorious for chugging Shirley Temples, but he has since worked with sports dietitians to adopt healthier eating habits and streamline his workouts to stay fresh for the 82-game NBA grind.
Hanlen said that Embiid’s sleeping patterns have improved. Embiid is a hard worker when he’s awake.
“It’s common knowledge that no longer can he be defended effectively by a lone defender on other teams. They need to quickly dispatch a large number of guards, “In a phone call, Hanlen declared. Because of that, “we’ve tried to expand his game and grow it to offset it.”
NBA
Hanlen and Embiid have studied NBA highlights featuring legends like Kobe Bryant, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Dirk Nowitzki on film.
Hanlen chuckled as he recalled Embiid’s request for more information about those NBA greats throughout the playoffs. Every field goal made by Nowitzki and others was stored in a folder on Embiid’s computer. But there was plenty to dissect in Embiid’s postseason play.
To prevent him from relying solely on post entry and play calls, “the most important thing we needed to do was find a method to counter that so he could establish his offense.”
Hanlen hoped that Embiid would “feel more comfortable driving from the outside and finishing around the basket.”
Embiid is now ready to win every defensive and offensive honor there is. He’ll give the Sixers fans years of entertainment. The $196 million extension to Embiid’s contract does not begin until the upcoming season and runs through the 2026-27 season.
Declarations
I think there’s a reason I was the leading scorer last year,” Embiid remarked. “I think I can contribute to the team in any offensive situation. Even if I get a shot off, it’s not all about me. Making plays for oneself and one’s team is the main focus.”
The 76ers’ rebuilding effort, often referred to as “The Process,” gained widespread recognition after Embiid was named the team’s face.
He took the moniker to heart and is now introduced as Joel “The Process” Embiid before every home game. He originally listed Kansas as his home base but moved to Cameroon in the middle of the 2017-18 season. Embiid might give PA announcer Matt Cord a run this year as a triple-threat player from three different countries.
“We’re going to say Cameroon, American, and French,” Embiid joked to the Associated Press.
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