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Joel Embiid?s WNBA ?Doppelganger? Shares Career Alternative Outside Basketball Akin to NBA MVP

ByRanjitha Ramesh

Modified Sep 17, 2023 | 9:58 AM EDT

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Joel Embiid?s WNBA ?doppelganger,? Nneka Ogwumike was drafted as the #1 pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2012 WNBA draft. Ever since then, she has been a crucial piece for the team, bringing in her basketball prowess along with her leadership skills. Ogwumike has been an important player for the LA Sparks during the 2023 season too, starting 12 of the team’s 13 games. With averages of 19.7 points, 9.5 rebounds and a career-high 3.5 assists per game, her play has been nothing short of exceptional.

Notably, Nneka Ogwumike now holds the record for most steals in franchise history with 507. She has cemented her place in the LA Sparks’ annals with this accomplishment. Furthermore, she is also the recipient of the Western Conference Player Award.

Recently, the 2016 WNBA MVP appeared on an episode of the ‘Knuckleheads Podcast’. During her appearance, she revealed her alternate career path.

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During the podcast, Ogwumike was asked if she was progressing the same way in volleyball the way she was in basketball. She replied,

“I was actually. And because of that I also was like trying to become a student of the game in volleyball. So, I really did not know anything about volleyball.”

Nneka Ogwumike initially believed volleyball to be a straightforward sport with three players in the back and three in the front. It was only later that she came to know volleyball formations and tactics, including ‘six-one’ and ‘five-two’.

She continued,

“I started learning that there’s strategy in volleyball too. And it was something that really helped me with my footwork as well. Volleyball held basketball and basketball held volleyball. And I really do believe that if I wasn’t playing basketball,?I would definitely be a volleyball player.”Read More: Amid Plans of ?Never? Returning to 76ers, $165 Million Rich James Harden Flexes $359 Socks in All-Black Attire

Meanwhile, Joel Embiid could have been a professional volleyball player himself!

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Joel Embiid wanted to pursue professional volleyball

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Joel Embiid grew up in an upper-middle-class household in Yaound?, Cameroon. He initially considered enrolling at the National Institute for Sports and Physical Education (INSEP) in France with the goal of becoming a professional volleyball player. Football (soccer) and volleyball were the main sports he played when he was younger. On the other hand, basketball had a very small impact on his life.

However, things changed after he saw Kobe Bryant dominate the 2010 NBA Finals, which piqued his interest in the sport. Despite entering the sport somewhat late, at the age of 16, Embiid’s natural talent was recognized. Luc Mbah a Moute, a former NBA player, noticed him at a Basketball Without Borders program in Yaound?. This crucial turning point resulted in a scholarship offer from Florida’s Montverde Academy, where he embarked on his basketball journey.

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