Thomas Embiid is the father of renowned basketball player Joel Embiid. Joel Embiid is a Cameroonian basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA. He is among the few resilient, talented, optimistic, and determined star players in basketball.
In his basketball journey, Joel’s father, Thomas, has been a very supportive and nurturing father to him.
Joel Embiid has only played for the 76ers since he got drafted in the 2014 NBA draft. Embiid played basketball at Kansas, where he was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2014.
He was selected to the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, as well as he was named to the Second-team All-Big 12.
Although he had his series of injuries and challenges early in his career, while striving for brilliance in the NBA, he always denied yielding to the difficulties.
He had to deal with several personal tragedies that occurred on the way. However, his family was always beside him as a proponent, which led him to overcome the gloom.
Joel led the NBA in scoring during the 2021-2022 season and is also the first center and seven-footer since Shaquille O’Neal and Moses Malone to average over 30 points per game while also being the first foreign player to lead the NBA in scoring.
Some of the credit for Joel’s success in his career goes to his father, who has been a massive inspiration to Joel, and we hope their bond will flourish more.
Let’s dig into detailed information about Joel Embiid’s father, Thomas Embiid. But before that, let’s know briefly about him through quick facts.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Thomas Embiid |
| Nick Name | Thomas |
| Date Of Birth | Not Available |
| Birth Place | Yaoundé, Cameroon |
| Residence | Yaoundé, Cameroon |
| Age | Not Available |
| Gender | Male |
| High School | Not Available |
| Nationality | Cameroonian |
| Ethnicity | Cameroonian |
| Father’s Name | Not Available |
| Mother’s Name | Not Available |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Partner | Christine Embiid |
| Kids | Three: Joel Embiid, Muriel Embiid & Late Arthur Embiid |
| Profession | Cameroon Military Officer |
| Grandchildren | Arthur Elijah de Paula Embiid (Grandson) |
| Salary | Not Available |
| Joel’s Net Worth | $35 Million |
| Joel Embiid’s Merch | Rookie Card |
| Joel’s Social Media | |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Thomas Embiid’s Family
Thomas Embiid, the father of Joel Embiid, served as a colonel in the Cameroon military. He also played professional handball during his early years.
Thomas is married to Christine Embiid and shares three kids with her. Among whom Joel is the eldest son, and the other two are one daughter, Muriel, and one son, Arthur Embiid.
Christine initially wanted Joel to become a doctor. However, she couldn’t help herself from stopping her child’s dream and instead supported him in his passion.
Unfortunately, they lost their younger son Arthur in a car crash on 16 October 2014. Arthur was only 13 years old when he died in the accident. While returning from school, he got hit by a truck, leaving the Embiid family in grief.
Elder Son Joel Embiid
Joel Hans Embiid, born on 16 March 1994, is a professional basketball player who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.
After a year of college basketball with the Kansas Jayhawks, the 76ers drafted him as the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft.
He is the third player selected and the highest-paid player from his native country, Cameroon, in the NBA.
Unfortunately, numerous foot and knee injuries delayed his debut for two seasons until the 2016–17 season.
Despite playing only 31 games, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. Embiid has made 6 NBA All-Star appearances.
In a reference from 76ers fans during the Sam Hinkie era to “trust the process,” he nicknamed himself “the Process.”
Early Life
Born to a former military officer, Thomas Embiid, and Christine, Joel played volleyball and soccer in childhood. He initially planned to play professional volleyball in Europe.
However, fate had written something else for his life. Thomas started playing basketball at 15, modeling his game after the NBA Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon.
A fellow native of Yaounde and an NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute, discovered Embiid at a basketball camp.
After that, Mbah a Moute became a mentor to him. Then, at 16, Embiid moved to the United States to commit himself to become a professional basketball player.
He attended Montverde Academy and later transferred to The Rock School after he was given less playing time. Being considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, he committed to play for the Kansas Jayhawks in 2014.
Joel Embiid Recent Career
Embiid scored a career-high 59 points along with 11 rebounds, eight assists, and seven blocks in a winning match against the Utah Jazz, with 26 points and five blocks coming in the fourth quarter on November 13, 2022.
In NBA, Joel became the first player with 50 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 blocks in a game since blocks became an official stat in the 1973-74 season. It was also the fifth-best scoring performance in 76ers franchise history.
He achieved this feat in less than 24 hours after logging a 42-point, 10-rebound, and six-assist in a 121-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on November 12, managing to top 101 total points.
Joel became the third player in Sixers’ history to have multiple 50-point games in the same season, joining Allen Iverson and Wilt Chamberlain.
The NBA player also became the first foreign player to win an NBA scoring title and the first center to average over 30 points per game since Moses Malone in 1982.
He also tied with Chamberlain for the second-most 40-point games in Sixers history.
Embiid was granted French citizenship in July 2022 as a foreigner [..] whose naturalization is of exceptional interest. He also became a US citizen in September.
On January 3, 2023, the center was awarded the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for his impressive performance in December.
He also became the third player in NBA history to record at least 47 points, 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks, sitting just behind Hall of Famers Chris Webber and Bob Mc Adoo.
Joel Embiid Father’s First Appearance At His Game
In 2013, Thomas Embiid landed in Kansas City on Tuesday evening. It was indeed the first time he’d seen the Midwest.
Thomas arrived in Lawrence an hour later and took his first step into Allen Fieldhouse. He watched the fans pile in and the building adequately filled.
Then he observed his son, Joel, score 16 points as No.2 Kansas defeated Iona 86-66. It was the first time Thomas Embiid had seen his son play competitive basketball.
“I am very impressed,” Thomas Embiid said afterward. Perhaps due to a lack of a robust English vocabulary, Thomas Embiid could only express his reaction as “surprised.”
At that time, Joel had come far away, despite playing basketball for just three years, which Thomas wasn’t aware of.
As per his father, the NBA player came to America to improve and uplift himself and play at the top level.
And after many years of that statement by his father, we can undoubtedly say that he has grown as the best basketball player.
Thomas Embiid As An Inspiration To Joel Embiid
Thomas has always been an enormous inspiration to Joel Embiid. He also confessed that he saw his father’s success and wanted to be better than his father.
During his childhood, Joel was more into volleyball. In addition, Embiid’s family, specifically his father, strongly encouraged him to stick with volleyball.
Thomas even told him that Cameroon people don’t play basketball. Instead, volleyball was a more popular sport with a competitive ranking in the country.
Grandson Arthur Embiid
Thomas Embiid’s son Joel and his girlfriend Anne De Paula gave birth to Arthur Elijah de Paula Embiid in 2020, making Thomas the proud grandfather.
The little boy was named after his late uncle Arthur, who died in an accident. The small boy is the greatest gift to both Joel and Thomas Embiid.
We are very familiar with Joel’s sarcastic nature, and he mentioned that it’s just the beginning and he would welcome 11 new babies. This statement can be great news for Joel’s father as he will get to raise several grandchildren.
Girlfriend
Joel Embiid has been in a relationship with a successful Brazilian swimsuit model, Anne de Paula, since 2018. The duo admits that their relationship has been unexpected.
They coincidentally met at a dinner in New York City in 2018 via a mutual friend. Later, they eventually started face-timing each other.
Similarly, they both have common likes; they love soccer and speak French.
Some sources claim they are married, and some say they are just in a relationship. However, it is yet to be confirmed by this beautiful couple.
Net Worth
Thomas Embiid’s net worth is not revealed, but his son has earned some serious money from his professional career.
Joel earns most of his fortune as a professional basketball player. However, he also makes additional wealth from endorsements of popular brands.
His net worth might soar in the coming days because of his popularity and more significant achievements.
Embiid signed a four-year extension contract worth $196 million with the Philadelphia 76ers on 17 August 2021.
As of 2024, Joel’s net worth is estimated to be approximately $35 million.
Unknown Facts About Joel Embiid’s Father
There is not much information about 7-foot (2.13 meters) NBA superstar Joel Embiid’s father, Thomas. However, we have collected some lesser-known facts about him, which are below:
- Thomas Embiid lost his younger son Arthur Embiid in an accident, who was only 13 at the time of his untimely demise.
- He saw his son Joel play basketball for the first time in 2013 in Kansas City.
- Thomas is a Cameroon military officer and was a competitive handball player.
- He is married to Christine Embiid, with whom he has three children.
Social Media Presence
Unfortunately, Joel’s father, Thomas Embiid, is unavailable on any social media platforms, but you can follow his son on social media.
Joel Embiid is impressive on the court, and his social media is also equally fun to be updated with.
As his Instagram bio suggests, he is one hell of a comedian who loves sharing and making memes and trolls. He is also known as the king of trolling.
He has a huge fan following on his social media. You can find him on Instagram under the handle @joelembiid and Twitter @JoelEmbiid.
Instagram: 6.7 million followers
Twitter: 2.1 million followers
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is Thomas Embiid available on social media?
No. Thomas Embiid is not available on any social media platforms. Joel's parents are private people and like to remain out of the limelight as much as possible.
Does Thomas Embiid have any affairs?
No, Thomas Embiid does not have any controversial affairs with any woman. He is a kind-hearted family person.
Do Joel and his father, Thomas, have a healthy relationship?
To this date, there has been no news of a family feud in Joel's life. They are a very happy family. On many occasions, Joel has talked about his father and how he inspired him and wants to become just like his father to his son.
