These were some of my favorite passage’s about Joel Embiid by Clayton Geoffrey’s. He is one of my favorite sixers players. It talks about how some of his mentors have given him the inspiration and saw him in themselves to give her a lucky break.

“However, this transition also gave rise to skilled big men. Because the NBA now puts more emphasis on ball movement and shooting, centers learned how to pass, dribble, and shoot the ball like guards do. This led to the rise of versatile centers that could do it all. And among all of those centers, no other player resembles the skill level of Hakeem Olajuwon more than Joel Embiid.”

“Joel Embiid saw how hungry and how much of a killer Kobe was in that 2009 Finals series against the Orlando Magic. He liked the way the “Black Mamba” played because he just did not seem like he cared whether he was missing or making his shots. All that Bryant ever cared about was killing his opponents on the floor. Joel Embiid wanted Kobe Bryant’s mentality. He wanted to be more competitive and to have a killer instinct. But at that moment, he did not think about playing basketball. “

“He was more focused on moving with the fluidity and grace that made Olajuwon famous.”

“However, they were convinced to let him take a leap of faith knowing that Joel had a chance to live a life he could not have in Cameroon. And if things did not pan out in the US, he could always go back home to get a good job with his American education. But that was not going to be the life for him.”

“But what made Boyle realize that he had the tools to become special was that he moved with the fluidity and grace of a ballet dancer.”

“Nevertheless, Boyle did not like how his players laughed at the developing young giant from Cameroon. He was well aware that Embiid was still unpolished but was more aware that he would one day become worth 50 million.” 

“During his senior year in high school, Joel Embiid would begin to tap into what was regarded as a deep pool of potential.”

“Since then, Joel Embiid became more serious and absorbed everything his coaches told him without having them tell him twice. Once was enough for Embiid though he would often see himself getting scolded by Bill Self from time to time. At one point, Thomas Embiid even saw Self scolding the younger Embiid. But as a military officer, Thomas knew how important discipline is.”

“He even joked once that he had killed a lion with his bare hands back when he was in Cameroon.iv Joel Embiid became a fan favorite and media darling.”

“He watched videos of plays and rewind them fifty times to understand everything that was happening on the court. He would pick the brains of former general managers to talk about their transactions to understand why they came to such decisions. He would come to understand how the salary cap system works and how crucial it was to be patient with the draft assets that the team acquired.xi Joel Embiid was not only learning more about the game of basketball but also what was happening beyond the court in the world of the NBA.”

“Throughout the season, Joel Embiid was a fan favorite. If he was not dominating other centers on the court, he was showcasing his unique personality and lovable demeanor. He was a gentle giant that had a great sense of humor. He loved talking to the media and engaging with the fans both in person and through social media. Whenever he could not release his frustrations out on the court by dunking hard on other players and flexing his muscles while releasing a primal roar, he was cracking jokes and making the entire world experience his charm. For Brett Brown, that was his new outlet.”

“With his bigger than life personality, lovable charm, and dominant play on the court, Joel Embiid had become the Philadelphia 76ers’ new franchise star—something they had not seen since Allen Iverson. When healthy, he was someone the Sixers could rely on to carry the torch of the franchise’s process. He was, after all, the self- proclaimed process. Stats would not show the entire picture but Joel Embiid had more impact on his team than any other rookie that season. “

“The Cameroonian native is known for his colorful personality noth on and off the court. He has become the life of the Philadelphia 76ers because of this personality and has become a favorite among fans, teammates, and media. On the court, his cracks joke with his teammates but trash-talks the other team. He breathes life into a game by waving his hands for the crowd to chant “trust the process” even louder. And after phenomenal dunks and blocks, he flexes his arms as a means to intimidate the other team. Off the court, he gives the media interesting interviews and comments. He deliberately cracks jokes that are self-deprecating in nature to show that he did indeed have a humble side to him. However, Joel Embiid’s colorful personality off the court has always been expressed better through social media platforms such as Twitter. Embiid has been known to be a troll and an open book on Twitter.”

In summary, what I’ve learned from reading his life is that patience and trusting the process is, especially when you are young. Being able to surround yourself with winners and people who believe in you is essential to your success. Also being a student of the game and being authentic in who you are but at the same time coachable. Learning from your mistakes and taking significant risks like moving to the states without knowing any English was one that paid off big time.

 

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