who is between basketball and Rihanna- Corriere.it

Africa returns to having an elected player mvp from the NBA after the glories of the Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon, who won the title in 1994 (and who in the same year, as well as in 1995 was judged the best of the finals). Elected Joel Embiid, 29 years old, 213 inches tall, center of the Philly Sixers, Cameroonian with French citizenship and naturalized US. His victory was nothing short of overwhelming: 73 votes out of 100; beaten Nikola Jokic, the Serbian from Denver who was aiming for the third consecutive success, and the Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo (first in 2019 and 2020), who was certainly not helped by the elimination of the Milwaukee Bucks by the Miami Heat already in the first round of the playoffs.

A showman season

Embiid the fifth player of the Sixers (engaged in the East semifinal matchup with the Boston Celtics) to become MVP: juxtaposes his name with those of Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Moses Malone and Allen Iverson (last to establish itself, in the 2000-2001 vintage). Embiid’s season was extraordinary: Averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks. A performance that fueled Philadelphia’s 54 regular season victories, a feat the franchise had not achieved in 22 years.

His nickname: The Process

His nickname The Process, in reference to the motto Trust the process used by former Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie. Embiid, born in Yaoundson ofmilitary officer Thomas Embiid and his wife Christine, a player with an overflowing physique. But his agility and flexibility impress him: he has lethal offensive movementshas a remarkable shooting accuracy (even from long distance), has excellent ball handling (sometimes it becomes a point guard added) and a vision of the game so broad as to be able to serve important assists to his teammates. His passed as a footballer he finally endowed him with great quickness of feet. In summary: he dominates on both sides of the parquet and drives his opponents crazy. The weak point? Sometimes he is listless and throws away a few games, but these moments of down are increasingly rare and the title of Mvp, which essentially rewards continuity, must be proved.

Volleyball, the death of his brother, injuries

Joel wasn’t supposed to play basketball, but a volleyball. The family, in fact, wanted him at the net or alternatively on a pitch soccer. But at the age of 16 he was noticed by Luc Mbah a Moute, a compatriot and former NBA player: he convinced him to move to the USA to Montverde Academy, a high school also attended by Ben Simmons, who he would later find at the Sixers. Switched to Kansas University, after two years, in 2014, Embiid was drafted by Philadelphia in the first round, third overall pick of that NBA Draft after Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. But his entrance among the pros marked by two very bad vicissitudes.

The first is even tragic and is linked to death of his younger brother, Arthur, in a car accident. a fact that shocks Joel, who meditated on leaving the NBA but who in the end was convinced to stay so as not to frustrate the sacrifices made in the past by the family. As if this disgrace weren’t enough, here’s one stress fracture of the right foot, operated twice with two seasons lost. The debut of Embiid in the NBA occurred on October 26 2016 and already in that game he explained his potential with 20 points, 7 rebounds and two blocks. Injuries would still haunt him—at one point people began to think he was a crystal giant—but once he was left alone Embiid exploded. This is precisely the year of the great success, also enhanced by the personal best of points (59) in the victory last November 14th over Simone Fontecchio’s Utah Jazz.

Trash talking with Rihanna

If at the time the Cameroonian boy was shy and vaguely afraid, the passage of time has also dictated his evolution in attitudes. In fact, Embiid has become an icon of trash talking, on and off the pitch. To Rihanna, who had invited him to show up at her door only if he became an All Star, he replied with tweets that held court in the news. In principle, it is better not to argue on the field with this big man who clutters up the areas and inspires fear: in some cases, for example once with Karl Anthony Towns of Minnesota, he even ended up with hands on each other before the two could find a way to clarify and to make peace.

France want him in the national team

Having three passports, Embiid is coveted by as many Nationals. The first is obviously that of Cameroon, but France has also shown a lot of interest, with even the idea of ​​enlisting him for the final phase of the 2023 World Cup. Coqs they specified that they do not intend to proceed, but it could be a move to be able to work under cover. In any case, there is always the USA, which finds itself more or less in the same situation created with Paolo Banchero, the rookie of the year poised between the Americans and Italy. If it is true that Banchero, in a shrewd move, is preparing to announce that he will postpone the decision to 2024 and depending on the Games (where the USA will almost certainly be there, while the Azzurri will have to sweat that place and if they don’t make it, they will remove Paolo from the ‘awkwardness of running a ballot), this might as well be Embiid’s choice: wait and see. Time will tell, meanwhile the name of Joel The Process is always higher and higher in the basketball hit parade. And like all the greats, for two and a half years he has already had a personal brand of footwear: the Embiid One, by Under Armour, the same brand as Stephen Curry.