Who Are Joel Embiid’s Parents? Details About 76ers Star’s Family Including Younger Brother Who Tragically Passed Away at 13

“Family is very important. It made me not want to have three kids. It made me want to have four”. Joel Embiid has never shied away from emphasizing the role his loved ones play in his life. However, he admits that in his early days, family wasn’t always his top priority. It was a devastating tragedy that changed his outlook, making him realize how crucial it is to cherish time with those closest to him. Today, the Cameroonian star is as committed to his family as he is to his NBA career.

Therefore, without any further ado, let’s dive deeper into the lives of the 2023 NBA MVP’s loved ones, especially those who played a crucial role in raising him.

Who are Joel Embiid’s parents?

Originating from Cameroon and being the elder brother to his two other siblings, Embiid was born in March 1994 to Thomas and Christine Embiid. Thomas reportedly also originated from Cameroon itself and served in the national military under the position of Colonel. Furthermore, the future NBA player’s father also shared an affinity for sports, having tried his hand at professional handball. Meanwhile, Christine Embiid reportedly wasn’t that big of a sports enthusiast but certainly thought of it as a good avenue for her son.

Being the son of an individual who served in the military, and who also played sports at a professional level, Joel Embiid couldn’t have been someone who ran away from discipline as easily as others. Sure enough, the future NBA star was reportedly brought up under the careful eye of both his parents, who only wanted their child to go to school and play sports. According to Sports Illustrated, the Embiid family was described as being ‘upper-middle-class’, highlighting that Joel did not have to go through the experience of poverty that so many of his NBA counterparts overcame to become the successes they are today.

“Joel didn’t lack anything,” Thomas Embiid said in an interview. “He always had food on the table and plenty of clothes. The school system was fine. He was never in any trouble. It was a good environment, a good situation”. Embiid initially gravitated toward soccer and volleyball, which were his main interests growing up. However, when he eventually made the switch to basketball, his father wasn’t entirely supportive of the change at first.

Thomas Embiid’s main priority for his son was education, often encouraging Joel to “focus on school”. Volleyball, being a low-contact sport, was a suitable outlet that didn’t interfere with his studies. However, Joel’s basketball aspirations found support in Joe Touomou, a fellow Cameroonian who had played Division I basketball in the U.S. and pursued a career in the sport. Touomou reportedly told Thomas, “If you let him play basketball, he might not need to go to school. Someday he might be able to buy his own school”. Eventually, this convinced Thomas to allow Joel to pursue basketball.

In an interview with ESPN, the 2024 Olympic Gold Medalist shared that he viewed his father as “a tough guy with a serious face” during his childhood. Thomas often came across as “calm and quiet,” exuding a serious and tough demeanor. However, those tough vibes seemed to disappear whenever he was around his grandson, revealing a softer side of him. In Joel’s own words, “I was just telling Anne, ‘I’ve never seen him smile my whole life. And since he’s been here, he’s just been smiling all over the place. Every time he sees (Arthur), when he’s holding him. I’ve never seen this in my life.’”

Thomas is undoubtedly close to Joel’s son, not only because he is his grandchild but also because he shares the name of Thomas’s other son, who was taken from this world far too soon.

Who are Joel Embiid’s siblings?

Joel Embiid has a seven-year age difference with his younger brother, Arthur. While not much is known about Arthur, Joel has described their bond as very close. He once recalled almost skipping the basketball camp that led to his discovery because he was too scared, opting instead to spend the day playing FIFA with Arthur. Although their father, Thomas Embiid, eventually made Joel attend the camp, the player later reflected, “For that one day me and Arthur just had fun. And you know what? I could probably remember that afternoon better than I can remember a lot of the biggest basketball moments in my life.”

After moving from Cameroon to the U.S. to pursue his basketball journey, Joel Embiid didn’t keep in touch with Arthur as much as he would have liked. Tragically, in October 2014, 13-year-old Arthur was involved in a fatal accident when he was struck by a truck while walking home from school with classmates. At the time, Joel was preparing to begin his rookie season but had been sidelined due to a broken navicular bone in his foot. Already grappling with uncertainty about his future, the 76ers star revealed that Arthur’s death led him to seriously question whether he should continue pursuing his dream of playing in the NBA.

“I felt like I had lost my purpose in life,” Joel wrote. “I just pushed on… A lot of days, it sucked. A lot of days, I just wanted to get on a flight back home. I wanted to quit, but I just kept putting in the work every day for two years to try to get healthy, to try to get better, to try to take one step onto an NBA court. I felt like if I did that, then my brother would be really proud of me.”

Fortunately, Joel didn’t give up. Today, if he has accomplished so much, it is because he didn’t let the loss of his loved one affect him. Joel did not choose to forget the memory of his brother so easily. In 2022, he launched “In Memory of Arthur” (IMOA), an initiative that spreads awareness about Philadelphia’s non-profit organizations. Two years before that, Joel would bestow the name ‘Arthur’ on his then newly born son.

Despite the loss of his brother, Joel Embiid continues to have the support of his other sibling, Muriel. While not much is known about her, she clearly followed in the family’s footsteps, taking up volleyball during her time at Rochester College. Muriel has attended several of Joel’s games, and in May, NBC Sports Philadelphia captured a delightful moment of her solving a Rubik’s Cube while waiting for the game to start. If her mannerisms didn’t perfectly capture the relatable experience of waiting for a game to begin, then nothing else could.

Did Arthur’s death prompt Joel Embiid to make a major decision about his family?

In July, Joel Embiid sat down for an exclusive interview with New York Times reporter David Marchese, where Arthur’s name came up. Marchese asked how the loss of his brother at just 20 years old impacted him. The 76ers star acknowledged, “It changed a lot,” noting that he noticed his priorities shifting in the aftermath of the tragedy.

“Family is very important. It made me not want to have three kids. It made me want to have four. Because there were three of us. I don’t like that number three” said Embiid during the interview. “I told my wife, better have four kids at least. Because two is too little and three is not — I don’t like that. And then in life, just cherishing and including family more in everything.”

Like many NBA players, Embiid has faced significant hardships on his journey to success. Throughout it all, the unwavering support of his parents and sister has been a constant source of strength. As he sets his sights on pursuing the championship title in the 2024-25 season, he will need that family support more than ever.

Before you go, remember to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.