Joel Embiid is a well-known Cameroonian professional basketball player who is one of the league’s most skilled, tough, optimistic, and determined stars.

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Even though he had his fair share of injuries and problems early in his NBA career, he never gave up when things got tough.

After all, he’s been through, Joel Embiid is the fastest-rising star in basketball, and he’s still building his name.

He calls himself “the Process” because 76ers fans told him during the Sam Hinkie era to “trust the process.”

Even though he only performed in 31 games for his team as a rookie, he was named to the NBA’s All-Rookie First Team.

He was put on Cameroon’s practice team for the FIBA AfroBasket in the Republic of Congo 2017; unfortunately, he did not play.

 Quick Facts 

Full Name	Joel Hans Embiid
Known as	Joel Embiid
Nickname	The Process
Birth Date	March 16, 1994
Birth Place	Yaoundé, Cameroon
Residence	Not Available
Religion	Not Available
Nationality	Cameroonian
Ethnicity	Black
Education	Montverde Academy, The Rock School (Gainesville, Florida), and Kansas (2013–2014)
Zodiac Sign	Pisces
Father’s Name	Thomas Embiid
Mother’s Name	Christine Embiid
Siblings	Arthur & Muriel Embiid
Age	29 years old
Height	7 inches
Weight	280 lb (127 kg)
Eye Color	Brown
Hair Color	Black
Body type	Athletic
Profession	Basketball Player
Marital Status	Engaged
Girlfriend	Anne de Paula
Children	Arthur Embiid
Active since	2014 – present
Teams	Philadelphia 76ers
Achievements	5× NBA All-Star (2018–2022) 3× All-NBA Second Team (2018, 2019, 2021) 3× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2018, 2019, 2021) NBA All-Rookie First Team (2017)
Endorsements	Amazon, Mountain Dew, Under Armour, and Electronic Arts (EA)
Net Worth	$35 million
NBA Draft Pick	2014 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3rd overall
Position	Center & Power Forward
League	NBA
Merch	Basketball Card
Social Media	Instagram, Twitter

Early Life and Education

It was 2009, and Yaoundé, Cameroon, was the place. When he was 15, Joel Hans Embiid picked up a basketball for the first time. He had no idea where it would take him.

Embiid spent most of his time playing volleyball. Before meeting Hakeem Olajuwon, he had never even considered playing basketball.

Joel wanted to try basketball after seeing how graceful and elegant he was on the court. This is where the journey started.

Embiid was a raw product even when he was in Kansas. This became clear when he went to different basketball camps around Yaoundé.

Because he was so new to the game, he often let the ball bounce off his foot, trip over a screen, or let throws go right through his hands.

Even without the polish he needed, Embiid stood out. His excellent footwork, outside jump shot, speed, and ability to block shots were all impressive.

Even at the young age of 15, the Cameroonian showed skills rarely seen in players his size. This made people compare him to Mr. Olajuwon, who was his hero.

High School Career

Joel Embiid’s first year at Montverde Academy was full of memories from when he was in Cameroon. Kevin Boyle, Embiid’s first coach, said that Embiid’s friends laughed a lot during his first practice.

He was confused and sometimes clumsy with his high school friends, most of whom had been practicing for over a decade. The play stood out.

But Montverde was somewhere other than where he would make a name for himself. He decided to move because he didn’t get to play enough. From what we know now, it was the best choice.

Experience is the only way for a player to improve and get better at the basics, and he needed more of that at Montverde.

By 2012, Embiid was thought to be a five-star prospect. In the fall before his senior year of high school, he chose Kansas, one of the country’s best recruiting schools.

College Career

Embiid spent a year at the University of Kansas. On February 13, 2014, Joel was named one of the 30 candidates for the Naismith College Player of the Year.

In 2013–14, he played in 28 games and averaged 11.2, 8.1, 1.4 assists, 2.6 blocks, and 23.1 minutes per game.

Joel scored at least 15 points in seven games and stopped at least five shots. He was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and to the Big 12-second team.

In March 2014, Embiid broke a bone in his back because of worry. He couldn’t play in the Big 12 or NCAA tournaments that year. The University lost in the NCAA Tournament’s second round (Round of 32).

NBA Draft

Early in April 2014, Joel put himself in the draught and was sure to go in the top three. His back was getting better on schedule, and after a few workouts and exercises with the Cavaliers, experts thought he would be the first player picked overall.

But Joel had surgery on his right foot a few days before the draught to fix a broken navicular bone. Big men had not done well with this surgery.

Many people need to get their speed and quickness back to how they used to be. Like Greg Oden, Embiid was now being called an injury-prone big man who wouldn’t be able to have a promising career because he couldn’t stay healthy.

The Cavs didn’t want to take such a risk because they were still upset about the Anthony Bennett mess from two years ago. Andrew Wiggins, who plays with Embiid, was picked because he was the better choice.

The Bucks wanted Jabari Parker, but the Philadelphia 76ers took Joel with the third overall pick.

Injury

But Joel’s June surgery wouldn’t improve, so he missed the 2014-2015 season. But things only got worse after Joel was healthy enough to play in the NBA’s summer league for a short time.

His first surgery went wrong, so he had to have another one. Sixers, staff, and people in the know were all worried that this setback would hurt their jobs. He could be put in the same group as Greg Oden.

He overcame his problems in the end, and by the time practice started, he was ready to go.

In a few short appearances, he reminded many people why they liked him so much in the first place. Everyone hoped he wouldn’t end up like Oden because of how well he moved, protected the basket, and moved quickly.

The team’s good preseason shows have raised hopes for the regular season. Even though the Sixers have a lot of players on the frontcourt, Joel was the obvious favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Even so, he keeps doing things that surprise people.

Joel Embiid: Age, Height & Weight 

Joel was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, on March 16, 1994. This means that the basketball player is 29 years old right now. 

Embiid is usually big and strong on the court, but he can score from any point, shoot like a guard, and breakthrough contact like a bullet through butter. 

Joel is 7 feet tall and weighs 280 pounds. He is a giant. 

He’s better than most at big things, small things, and even the things in between. And most importantly, Embiid knows how good he is and regularly beats teams and players from other groups.

Professional Career

This season, the Sixers limited how much Joel Embiid could play. And, given what was going on, it was the best choice in the long run. But it has stayed the same about how well he plays in the short run.

In only 25 minutes per night, he averages more than 19 points, more than seven boards, and almost three rejections. That’s more than 27 points, ten rebounds, and nearly four blocks every 36 minutes.

In his first season, Olajuwon scored 21 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and blocked three shots every 36 minutes, on average.

Embiid got his fourth triple-double on February 12 when the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 103–93. He scored 40 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, gave out ten assists, and stole three balls. 

He was the first Sixers player to get a 40-point triple-double since Wilt Chamberlain in 1968.

On February 17, Embiid helped the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 123–120. He scored 42 points, grabbed 14 boards, and gave out five assists.

Joel Embiid: Improvements 

Embiid deserves more respect than his back-to-the-basket teammates have gotten so far. His improvements cover a wide range of areas, from how he plans his game to how well he plays it.

He has become more selective with his 3-point shots, hitting a career-low of three per game but making 37.7 percent of them. This has turned his once-weak versatility into a real threat.

His mid-range shot has also improved, going from 41% (62nd percentile) to 47% (76th percentile) in 2021.

Embiid thinks his mid-range game is the key to his many moves.

As his words show, Embiid plays hoops in a smart and organized way.

For someone who didn’t start playing until a teenager, he’s picked up the game very quickly.

Joel Embiid: Parents 

Joel Embiid was born in Yaounde, Cameroon, to Thomas Embiid and Christine Embiid, also from Cameroon.

Thomas Embiid was a military leader in the Cameroonian army, where he was a colonel. Thomas played handball for a living when he wasn’t in the military.

A Cameroonian woman named Christine Embiid started the Arthur Embiid Foundation and the Angels Foundation.

Thomas and Christine Embiid had two other kids besides Joel. Their names were Muriel and Arthur Embiid. On October 16, 2014, Arthur Embiid died in a car accident.

When Embiid was young, his mother hoped he would become a doctor. But she couldn’t help ruining her son’s dream of playing in the NBA. Instead, she encouraged him to go after what he loved.

Joel Embiid’s uncles give him the most help. 

Didier Yanga, Embiid’s uncle, was an essential person in his life as a child. He took a picture of Joel playing outside his house and contacted Joe Touomou, Joel’s childhood friend and the first Cameroonian to play in the NCAA.

Embiid took his first steps because of this, even though his parents didn’t think he had a future in the game.

Before he became famous, he went to an NBA game between the Lakers and the Orlando Magic in 2009. There, he met Kobe Bryant and fell in love with him.

After that, every time he touched a ball on a nearby court, he tried to play like the Lakers star, but his mum thought he was in his room studying.

Close to Quitting

When Embiid was 16, he moved to the United States. He didn’t have any family there, and the language was complicated for him to understand.

He was about to quit because people made fun of him when he couldn’t catch his friends’ passes or take easy chances.

“Now you laugh,” Kevin Boyle, the coach, told the people who were kidding. “But in five years, you’ll have to beg him for money because Joel will be rich.”

Joel Embiid: Girlfriend 

Joel Embiid and Anne have been seeing each other since 2018, but they haven’t married yet. The first rumors about them getting together started in October 2018, right after Embiid was on the cover of GQ.

He talked about his relationships during the conversation. After the story came out, it was thought that the mystery girlfriend Embiid was talking about was Anne de Paula.

They were also seen together in China for the NBA China Games the same month.

Anne works for Sports Illustrated as a swimmer’s model. She was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, but spent her childhood in Miami, Florida.

She has been a model since 2014, and the Wilhelmina modeling agency works with her.

In his conversation with GQ, Embiid said that he had done a background check on her because he didn’t want to date or marry a girl who had been with “someone else in the NBA.”

How Did Joel Embiid & Anne de Paula Meet?

Joel Embiid and Anne de Paula’s love story has been outstanding.

A friend of both set them up at a dinner in New York City in 2018. De Paula told the news organization that they didn’t talk much and that she didn’t know he was a basketball player.

But she said that night started their “beautiful friendship” instead of a relationship.

The model told ESPN they got along because they both liked sports, spoke French well, and wanted to start a family one day.

Father of a Son

Arthur Embiid was born healthy to Joel Embiid and Anne de Paula. Arthur was born on September 17, 2020, and weighed 8.8 pounds.

His weight is much more than the average baby in the United States. Maybe he was always going to be a giant like his father.

The Cameroonian revealed the birth on both Instagram and Twitter with the following caption:

“Is this the first of more than 11? I’m trying to convince her, but I haven’t had much success so far, “Embiid wrote, “All I want to do is build a soccer team.”

He tagged Anne de Paula and said she was very strong and gave him the best thing life could give him.

Several news sources say Arthur is named after the NBA player’s late brother.

Net Worth

Sites like Wealthy Gorilla say Joel Embiid will have a net worth of $35 million in 2022.

Embiid has improved his game with the 76ers. In 2017, he signed a five-year, $147.7 million deal and became an NBA All-Star for the fifth time.

It also gave him an extra $30 million if he made All-NBA’s first, second, or third team or won MVP in 2017-18.

Embiid signed a four-year, $196 million deal extension in 2021. This showed that he was still the leader of the 76ers and thought the team could win the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

According to Forbes, he was even the 48th highest-paid player in the world in 2019. In the 2021-22 NBA season, he is a clear favorite to win the MVP Award and lead Philadelphia to the NBA Finals.

It is thought that Embiid has made around $6 million from endorsements.

He got a deal with Under Armour in 2018. He works with big companies like Amazon, Mountain Dew, and Electronic Arts (EA).

Social Media Presence 

Since the Sixers picked him up in 2014, Embiid’s social media following has grown as he has welcomed the attention.

Back then, Embiid was like a guy who made fun of other people online. He is no longer like that. But just because he doesn’t troll on social media as much as he used to doesn’t mean he’s done with it for good.

You can follow him on his social media accounts because he knows how to use them to keep his people interested. The link to his social media accounts is given below; 

• Instagram– 5.5M followers 

• Twitter– 2M followers 

FAQs

Does Joel Embiid dunk?

When the Philadelphia 76ers played the Cleveland Cavaliers, Joel Embiid did one of the best dunks of the NBA season.

Jarrett Allen of Cleveland fouled Joel, so Joel was already at the free-throw line.

Will MVP go to Embiid?

FanDuel Sportsbook says that after the All-Star break, Embiid is the favorite (+145) to win this year’s MVP award.

Who is Anne De Paula?

Anne De Paula, who has been dating Joel Embiid for a long time and is now his wife, is a famous 28-year-old Brazilian model, social media influencer, and internet star. She also won the “Swimmers Model Search” contest held by Sports Illustrated Magazine in 2017. Joel and Anne, a great couple, have a baby together.

Joel Embiid is a Cameroonian-French basketball player for the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers. The 76ers picked him up in the 2014 NBA draft.

They know each other through a mutual friend at a restaurant in New York City and became friends before starting to date in 2018.

You will learn about Anne De Paula, her career, net worth, relationship with Embiid, kids, and more by reading this piece.

Quick Facts

Full Name	Anne De Paula
Nick Name	Anne
Age	28
Birthdate	March 31, 1995
Birthplace	Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Mother’s Name	Leila De Paula
Father’s Name	Rod De Paula
Siblings	Not available
Marital Status	Married
Husband	Joel Embiid
Husband’s profession	Basketball player
Children	One son, Arthur Embiid
Religion	Christianity
Nationality	Brazilian
Size	32-24-35
Height	5’9” (175 cm)
Weight	57 kg (130 lbs)
Hair Colour	Brown
Eye Colour	Dark Brown
Shoe Size	8(US)
Tattoos	No
Zodiac Sign	Aries
Profession	Model
Currently signed with	Wilhelmina Models
Salary	Under Review
Net Worth	around $14 million
Social Media	Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
Merch	Joel Embiid’s Jersey, Joel Embiid Rookie Card

Who is Joel Embiid’s Wife? 

Joel Embiid is married to a beautiful Brazilian woman named Anne De Paula. They started dating in 2018. A friend of both of them brought them together at a dinner in New York City.

The two went public for the first time in October 2018. But at first, they didn’t discuss their relationship on social media.

She is now pregnant with his child, who will be born in September 2020 and named Arthur Elijah de Paula Embiid.

Anne De Paula and Joel Embiid Children

Paula gave birth to a beautiful boy on September 17, 2020. NBA player Joel Embiid told people on Twitter and Instagram about the birth of their child.

He said something funny, “First of 11 or more? I’m trying to persuade her, but I haven’t succeeded so far.” He also said that all he wants to do is put together a sports team. 

Arthur is the name they chose for their son. Sources say that Arthur’s name comes from Embiid’s late younger brother, who died in a car accident in Cameroon in 2014.

Anna De Paula’s Early Life and Family Background

Anne De Paula was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on March 21, 1995. 

Rod De Paula is her father, and Leila De Paula is her mother. There is no information about her brothers, which is a shame. 

Some people say that her mother is a doctor and her father is a nurse, but it is unclear.

Anne doesn’t talk much about her family. But the beautiful model still sends her parents photos on social media. 

The accounts of both of her parents are set to private. You can follow her parents on Instagram to learn more about them.

Rod De Paula: Instagram

Leila De Paula: Instagram

Childhood

Anne liked sports a lot when she was young. She grew up in Rio de Janeiro. But her father was the one who pushed her to play soccer.

Anne used to be on the basketball team at her school. She had even stood up for her town. Some people say that he wanted her to play soccer.

Anne’sOn the other hand, Anne’s mother wanted her to try being a model. So, when Anne was 13, she quit soccer and began modeling. 

Anne’s mother showed her the ‘Sports Illustrated Swimmers Issue.’ Then she went to work for it, and her dream was to become a bikini model. 

Anne De Paula: Career

Five years later, Anne’s career took off when she won the 2017 SI Swimmers model search and appeared in the magazine for the first time.

The 2017 SI Swimmers Model Search Contest winner was Anne.

Anne said that since she was from Brazil, it was hard for her to leave her country and be able to do it. 

“It’s like a dream come true for me, and it’s the best birthday present ever,”

Anne said that her birthday was the same week as the announcement of the findings. 

After she won the contest, she got more fans and an excellent reputation in the media. 

She was also the first newcomer to SI Swimmers 2018, and her spot in the steamy SI Magazine was assured. 

She was also on the cover of SI Swimmers in 2019. Her pictures had a lot of glitz and beauty, which wowed her audience. 

Anne is signed with Wilhelmina Models, based in New York City.

Age, Body, and Measurements

In March, Joel Embiid’s wife turned 28. 

Anne De Paula is 5 ‘9 inches tall and weighs about 57 kg. She is a strong girl.

The beautiful swimmers’ model’s body measurements (chest, waist, and hip) are 34, 26, and 35. 

Anne’s brown hair and beautiful dark brown eyes make her look like a dream. Her shoe size is 9.5 (US). There are no tattoos on the person. Her zodiac sign is Aries. 

Pets

Klaus was Joel Embiid and Anne De Paula’s dog. Klaus, however, died last year. Anne and Joel knew Klaus very well. 

Joel wrote on social media that he was sorry about Klaus’s death, while Anne said Klaus would always be loved. 

Anne De Paula: Dating History

Anne has always been in the news because of her relationship with Danny O’Donoghue. This is in addition to her work as a model. 

Danny is also the lead singer of a rock band called ‘The Script.’ In 2015, they started dating after making a music video called “No Good in Goodbye.” 

At first, they didn’t tell many people about their romance. After three years, Danny and his model girlfriend Anne finally made their red-carpet debut at Star Wars: The Last Jedi in December 2017.

That was the first time they went out in public together. Aside from that, the pair, before breaking up in 2018, only made some public appearances together.

After being together for four years, Anne and Danny broke up very badly. After Danny’s sister said something on Anne’s Instagram, the breakup got much attention on social media.  

No matter what, Anne started dating Joel Embiid soon after and is now living a happy life.

Fans also hope that Anne and Joel will get married soon now that they have a child.

But it’s not our place to say what they should do, so we hope they do what makes them happy. 

Net Worth

Anne has made most of her money through her successful job as a model.

She has also worked with well-known companies like Fallon Jewellery, Berta, and Hemingways Collection.  

It is thought that Anne’s net worth is between $14 million.

Also, details about her pay, houses, cars, etc., are still being examined. 

Social Media Presence

The Brazilian beauty is currently on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. She has a total of millions of fans. 

If you’re interested in her and what she does, you can follow her on the following accounts: 

Facebook: Anne de Paula (2.6M followers)

• Instagram: @annedepaula (233k followers)

• Twitter: @AnnedePaula_ (7,309 followers)

• Anne still needs to get a YouTube account.

But her videos are on YouTube. The official Sports Illustrated Swimmers feed is one channel that posts them. As a result, all her films are viral.