Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid is the franchise players that the team had been hoping to land as they went through what is infamously known as “The Process”, but Embiid didn’t see a career in the NBA as a very likely one originally.
“When I came to the states, my goal really was to use this opportunity so I can get some sort of scholarship and some sort of degree so I can go back home and make something out of it,” Embiid said during an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Justin Grasso. “I never knew. I mean, you start playing basketball at 16. To me, it was like I never really had a chance to make it.”
Embiid worked hard to transform himself from a raw prospect to a franchise player, perennial All-Star, and annual MVP consideration.
“I was always thought there was no way I was making it,” Embiid said. “The fact that people believed in me and I got to college, that’s what I wanted, honestly. I kinda used that opportunity to get a degree and go work somewhere else and make some money for my family. I would have never imagined.”
