Joel Embiid has become one of the best big men in the NBA this season, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Before he was shut down indefinitely with a knee injury Monday, Embiid had the inside track on running away with the Rookie of the Year Award, which is crazy since he only started playing organized basketball six years ago. After one year at Kansas, he was the No. 3 selection in the 2014 NBA Draft and became more of a myth as he battled injuries up until finally making his long-awaited debut.
But now that he’s shown his promise on the hardwood, how much do NBA fans really know about the young star whose presence on social media has been a gift? Like, for instance, did you know that Joel Embiid tried getting LeBron James to join the 76ers? Or that his father was a handball player back in Africa? Here's all you need to know about the enigmatic Sixers big man.
Embiid will try to slide into your girl's DMs.
Joel Embiid loves social media. And he loves flirting with the ladies on Twitter and Instagram. He once hit on married Kim Kardashian, inviting her to slide in his DMs.
He said he didn’t realize she was married to Kanye West when he tried it, and he apologized once he found out she was taken.
He tried to recruit LeBron James to join the Sixers.
Right after he was drafted in 2014, Embiid spent several days tweeting at LeBron James in an effort to get the King to leave the Cavs.
He desperately wants to date Rihanna.
He fell in love with basketball after watching the Lakers.
He started playing organized basketball when he was 16.
His father wanted him to play volleyball.
He killed a lion at age 6. (FAKE NEWS!)
He was discovered by Luc Mbah a Moute.
He doesn't know how to drive a car.
He's obsessed with Shirley Temples.
One of his favorite TV shows is "Vampire Diaries."
He once tweeted that his favorite show is Vampire Diaries. He thinks you'll like it, too.
He seriously thought about quitting basketball during the 2015-16 season.
#NBAVote Joel Embiid with the @TripleH @WWE entrance 😳🤘🏼 pic.twitter.com/6YHE2AyF2n
— Philadelphia 76ers (@Sixers) January 14, 2017
When the starting lineup was announced for the Sixers-Hornets game earlier this season, Embiid impersonated Triple H’s famous trademark of spitting water into the air. Triple H then tweeted some tips to Embiid.
Still have to perfect the water-to-spit ratio...Not bad for a first attempt. #MopTheFloor#NBAVote Joel Embiid https://t.co/mjaNcStuZt
— Triple H (@TripleH) January 14, 2017
Donald Trump tweeted his support for Embiid. (FAKE NEWS!)
Trying to drum up support for his campaign to get to the 2017 All-Star Game in New Orleans, Embiid created a fake retweet that appeared to come from Donald Trump. He got over 17,000 retweets.
WOWWW RT @realDonaldTrump Joel Embiid #NBAVote
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) January 5, 2017
He will kill your pet snake.
He believes he'd be on the Cameroon national soccer team if he weren't playing basketball.
People thought he was upset when the Sixers drafted him.
Embiid was stuck in LA recovering from foot surgery during the NBA Draft in 2014, but he still had a camera crew attend his party on draft night. Due to the broadcast delay, it seemed like Embiid was not happy to be selected by Philadelphia, but a few moments later ESPN showed his actual reaction.
Rick Ross helped him learn English.
Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, who attended the same high school as Embiid, explained that Joel “didn’t really know a lot of English, but he was a fan of Rick Ross…He would just say a big Rick Ross quote.”
defpensports: D'Angelo on Joel Embiid ESPN NBA Basketball: Lakers at 76ers https://t.co/pr0Dcftg17 pic.twitter.com/I8TlSqhzNn
— FanSportsClips (@FanSportsClips) December 17, 2016