76ers star Joel Embiid is now officially a citizen of the United States after obtaining citizenship in Philadelphia earlier this month, to me Associated Press.
The 28-year-old Cameroonian shared Thursday during the 76ers training camp that he had officially been granted citizenship after he was sworn in two weeks ago in Philadelphia. Embiid, who graduated from high school in Florida and played one season in Kansas before being drafted into third in 2014, told the Associated Press that his Brazilian girlfriend Anne de Paula and their two-year-old son were a big reason for the decision.
“I’ve been here a long time,” Embiid said. “My son is American. I felt like I lived here, and it is a pleasure to be American. So I said, Why not?”
Born in Yaounde, Cameroon, Embiid’s path to the NBA began at the age of 16 when he moved to the United States one year after starting to play basketball. He attended Monteverde Academy, the home university of his mentor and former basketball player Luke Mbah A Mott, before transferring after his freshman year to a rock school in Gainesville, Florida, where he eventually rose to national prominence.
Now entering his ninth season in the NBA, Embiid is poised to lead the Sixers in their pursuit of the NBA title alongside James Harden and a solid roster of supporting pieces. However, Thursday’s news temporarily shifted the focus to the Olympic aspirations of the five-time All-Star ahead of the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.
Embiid, who also has a family in France, He obtained French citizenship in July After rumors surfaced in May about his desire to compete internationally for the first time as a member of the country’s national team. Despite long-awaited questions, the dominant big man dismissed the chatter on Thursday, saying it was too early to consider the Olympics.
“I just want to be healthy and win the championship and go from there,” he told The Associated Press.
While it remains to be seen how he will perform in international competition, Embiid has already proven that he can produce against any competition on any night after overcoming several injuries in his career.
Embiid emerges from an MVP-caliber campaign that has averaged 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 68 games. After finishing with a record 51-31, the 76 reached the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second year in a row but fell to the Heat in six games.
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