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Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the NBA and has consistently been in Most Valuable Player talks over the last few years, with 2022-23 proving to be another prime opportunity to win his first. Embiid is often credited with reestablishing big men as one of the league's most dominant player archetypes, too. In this piece, we'll be taking a look at Joel Embiid's net worth in 2023 as he tries to win his first MVP and lead the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA title.
Joel Embiid's net worth in 2023 (estimate): $35-40 million
Joel Embiid's net worth in 2023 is around $35-40 million, according to multiple outlets such as Celebrity Net Worth and CAknowledge.
Joel Hans Embiid was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where he originally played both soccer and volleyball. Embiid famously did not pick up a basketball until he was 15 or 16 years old.
He was discovered around that age by NBA veteran Luc Mbah a Moute, who invited Joel to his basketball camp. With a newfound love for basketball, he went to the United States to pursue the sport, although he initially planned to use his talents on the hardwood as a means to a scholarship in order to eventually become a doctor.
Embiid initially enrolled at Montverde Academy, but transferred to The Rock School following a disappointing first year. It was there where he molded his game after Hakeem Olajuwon, becoming a five-star recruit. He averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks as a senior before committing to the University of Kansas.
He'd solidify his status as a top prospect for the 2014 NBA Draft while playing for the Jayhawks, showing tremendous two-way ability and long-term potential. Unfortunately for Embiid, though, injury problems surfaced courtesy of a stress fracture in his back.
The Philadelphia 76ers selected Embiid with the third overall pick regardless, confident he'd emerge as the best player in his class when healthy. Embiid became the highest selected Cameroonian in the history of the NBA Draft. He was also a crucial piece of the Sixers' “Process” under controversial general manager Sam Hinkie, hence Embiid eventually adopting that nickname.
A foot surgery sidelined Embiid for the entirety of his rookie season, which meant that he was redshirted in the 2014-15 season, and a recovery setback also ruled him out of the following campaign. He'd play his first NBA season in 2016-17, two years after getting drafted. Even then, Embiid only appeared in 31 games due to injury problems.
In those 31 games, however, it was evident the Sixers had found their franchise cornerstone. Embiid was already showing tremendous offensive versatility and defensive prowess from the jump, averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in his delayed rookie campaign.
The next season saw Embiid improve his numbers to 23 points and 11 rebounds per game, right after inking a five-year, $148 million max contract. He was selected to his very first All-Star Game and made Second-Team All-NBA as a sophomore, leading Philadelphia to its first playoff berth since 2012.
Embiid continued to dominate in 2018-19, staking his claim as the best center in basketball alongside Nikola Jokic. The Sixers had legitimate championship hopes after trading for Jimmy Butler during the regular season, but were eliminated in the second round when Kawhi Leonard's epic buzzer-beater sent the eventual champion Toronto Raptors to victory in Game 7.
Following that playoff heartbreak, Embiid had a down year by his standards. His scoring and efficiency dipped as Philadelphia crawled to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference, a disappointing finish. Worse is that Embiid and the Sixers were swept by the Boston Celtics in the first round.
It turned out, however, that Embiid's true capabilities had not yet been unleashed up until the 2020-21 season. He blitzed the entire league in the first half of last season, averaging 30 points and 12 rebounds per game while leading the Sixers to the No. 1 postseason seed. The Process was also firmly on top of the MVP ladder before incurring an injury, paving the way for Jokic to win the league's highest individual honor.
Embiid finished the season averaging 28.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game. However, it would end once again in the second round of the playoffs thanks to an upset loss to Trae Young and the underdog Atlanta Hawks.
Prior to the 2021-22 season, Embiid signed a massive four-year, $196 million extension with Philadelphia. He then turned up his performance even more in the 2021-22 season, averaging 30.6 points per game to win the scoring title, the first time a center has accomplished that feat since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000-21. He finished second once again behind Jokic in MVP voting.
In 2022-23 alongside James Harden for a full season, Embiid is trying to break through once again for that first MVP. While many initially pegged Jokic as the winner for the third year in a row, Embiid's dominance down the stretch of the season combined with the Denver Nuggets stumbling has the narrative shifting. This very well could be Embiid's year, and he's also trying to finally advance to the Eastern Conference Finals and beyond.
Embiid is known for his versatile and complete offensive skill set, elite paint and rim protection and much-improved playmaking ability. He is also known to be a comedic personality with the press and on the internet, and he has appeared in commercials for brands such as Mountain Dew, Coke Zero Sugar, Hulu and Crypto.com, among others. His philanthropic efforts are also worth noting, with several donations given to various organizations in Philadelphia as well as his native Cameroon. He donated a hefty sum of money during the coronavirus pandemic.
In addition, Embiid signed a deal with Under Armour in 2018 and got a signature shoe in 2020.
As we reach the 2023 NBA Playoffs, Embiid has a case of being the best at his position and the best player in the league. He's already worth $35-40 million, a total bound to rise as his career continues. Not bad for someone who didn't play basketball until his teens, huh?
Were you surprised by Joel Embiid's net worth in 2023?