Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid said Thursday he became an American citizen two weeks ago in Philadelphia.
The Cameroonian-born NBA star credited girlfiend Anne de Paula and their two-year-old son for helping him make the decision.
“I’ve been here for a long time,” Embiid told The Associated Press at Sixers training camp this week. “My son is American. I felt like, I’m living here and it’s a blessing to be an American. So I said, why not?”
After being plagued by injuries early in his career, Embiid had a breakout season in 2021-22. He set career highs in games and minutes, while also scoring 30.6 points per game, becoming the first international player to win an NBA scoring title. He’s been the runner-up to Denver’s Nikola Jokic in MVP voting for the past two seasons.
Embiid is entering his ninth season in the league, all with the 76ers, and might be playing with the best supporting cast he has ever had. The 76ers projecting starting lineup of Embiid, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and PJ Tucker, along with head coach and Doc Rivers, might give the 76ers their best shot at making an NBA Finals run in a long time.
The 28-year-old displayed some toughness to go with his skill last season. He averaged 26.3 points and 10.7 rebounds in the playoffs — all with an orbital fracture. He also tore ligaments in his thumb in the playoffs and had offseason surgery to repair them.
He said his thumb “is not the same” since the injury.
“You can’t control freak accidents,” Embiid said. “I need to keep on going. I’m only doing this for 20 years. I need to get it all in while I can.”
Sixers fans don’t have to worry about him going anywhere either. Embiid’s four-year $196 million contract extension doesn’t kick in until next season and locks him in Philly through 2026-27.
Now that he’s an American citizen, Embiid — who attended high school in Florida and starred at the University of Kansas in 2013-14 before being drafted by Philadelphia at No. 3-overall in 2014 — could represent the U.S. in the Olympics and the FIBA World Cup, but said it was too early to think that.
“I just want to be healthy and win a championship and go from there,” he said.
