When he met Anne de Paula, Joel Embiid wasn’t looking for anything romantically serious. Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers discussed his NBA career and his relationship with his girlfriend, Anne de Paula, in ESPN’s May cover story.
The pair met through a mutual friend at a New York City dinner in 2018, and Paula revealed to the outlet that neither of them said much during dinner. He wasn’t a basketball player until he stood up at the end of the meal, and she noticed how tall he was.
But she claimed that night marked the beginning of their “beautiful friendship.”
The 26-year-old model told ESPN that they became friends because they shared interests. They had both left home as teenagers to pursue their dreams in America, and they both loved soccer, spoke French, and hoped to start a family one day. For a while, we FaceTimed every day. He has the type of personality that wants to motivate you. That’s the kind of person you want to hang out with.
Joel Becoming a Father
The couple’s dream of starting a family came true in September 2020 when they welcomed their first child, Arthur Elijah de Paula Embiid, into the world. Embiid, in typical Embiid fashion, announced the news on social media with a sense of humor.
Embiid shared a carousel of Arthur as well as a black-and-white photo of him and his wife posing with her pregnant belly. He made a joke about starting a soccer team and wondered if Arthur was the first of his eleven children.
The NBA player recently spoke with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Marc Zumoff about his first season after the birth of his child and fatherhood. He shared that, while he was sad to leave home, it was still wonderful to see his son grow every day and that being a father was a fantastic experience.
“I want him to see his father at the top of his game, the best in the game, as he grows up. I want him to see that his father was a Hall of Famer and that his father (won) titles because I want him to be better than me”
On Overcoming Difficulties
It’s difficult to believe that the 7-footer once aspired to be a volleyball player. He spent the majority of his childhood playing volleyball. Embiid began playing basketball at the age of 15 after being inspired by Hakeem Olajuwon’s grace and elegance on the court.
A year later, Embiid moved to America to play in the NBA. He spent the next few years of his life playing and honing his skills before being drafted by Philadelphia in 2014. Even after being drafted, however, ascension to the top was difficult.
When the initial foot surgery to repair a navicular bone caused complications, he was forced to miss the entire 2014-15 season. He eventually recovered, and by the following season, he had proven to all those who doubted him with his quick and graceful footwork and rim protection. He is now a well-known NBA player.
