Philadelphia 76ers win one for Joel Embiid’s Mom

The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Washington Wizards as Joel Embiid‘s mother looks on in admiration of her son

Call me a throwback to an earlier era, but I will forever be in awe of a mother’s love for her son. The sheer joy of Christine Embiid’s smile as she cheered for her son Joel was heartwarming last night in the November 29, 2017 contest between the Philadelphia 76ers and the Washington Wizards. It was a game with a positive outcome, where the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Washington Wizards 118 – 113. But much like the journey of the Embiid family, it had moments of sheer joy

Fowl foul strategy

And moments of concern.  The Washington Wizards, plunging rapidly to a loss, determined the only true option to win the game was to foul, foul, foul, and then foul some more.

A chicken’s path, not playing the game of basketball per se, but rather a version of world wrestling basketball which provided little in the way of technique. But it did manage to get Washington within striking distance of a win.  And as such, the game had elements of beauty contrasting elements of ugly. As Christine Embiid watched from the stands, her son fouled out of the game. It was an unexpected path for JoJo  that night. But it was consistent with his grit and resolve.

The road less taken

You see, the road to the NBA for Joel Embiid and his family is not one for the feint of heart. The tale is one of joy and accomplishment tempered by worry and concern. And it will be told, again and again.

Daily Knicks

But the conclusion is not about an NBA player getting rich, nor on the ascension of Joel Embiid in such a short time into the discussions of NBA elite talent. You see, this story is simply about one basketball player on the court, and one fan in the stands cheering the player on. On one hand, this is a story with nothing unusual nor newsworthy save one detail. The player is Joel Embiid. The fan is his mother, Christine Embiid.

Mom

On the the other hand, this is the simple story of a mother beaming with pride. She had made a long journey to witness her young son from Cameroon who has come so far, through so much, to flourish in the NBA.  You simply cannot ignore this tale, one of a loving mother sitting and smiling from the sideline.

Her smile was the personification of pride and love. And that is one of the most beautiful sights you can behold.  Finally, this is a story about a life-changing pursuit of the dream to play professional basketball in the NBA, and the lives touched and forged in the process.

All in the family

The road to the NBA is not one of just Joel Embiid. This is a story of the entire Embiid family. And it all begins from the binding love between Cameroonian parents Thomas Embiid and Christine Embiid. Joel’s father was a competitive handball player and a military man.  His mother managed the home, and cared for the family, a young brother Arthur who has since passed and a younger sister Muriel.

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This family found itself separated by distance, ocean, culture, and language when Joel Hans Embiid turned 16. There is no equivalent event in America to compare to this. A 16 year old son, at the urgings of mentor and fellow countryman Luc Mbah a Moute, packed up and followed his dream to play professional basketball with no guarantees, no assurances, and no turning back.

Christine Embiid earned that moment of pride

The courage of Joel Embiid is tangible.  But the love and trust of Christine Embiid is beyond normal human capacity.  Imagine agreeing to send your son to another country for the express purpose of competing in a sport which is neither common nor familiar in your national sports circles?  His success at Kansas, and the rapid rise in the projections for the 2014 NBA Draft came crashing down as her son fell to injury. First to stress fractures in his back, then to a fractured foot which has mixed results of success for big basketball players.

Imagine being the mother whose son entered an NBA draft injured.  Then discover he was drafted, but by a team with a poor chance of winning.  Finally, learning that Joel Embiid would need a second foot surgery.  Thankfully, her son did not land on any ole NBA team.  He ended up on the only NBA team to hold a long term future perspective.  That enabled the team to send Joel Embiid to the world-renowned Aspetar rehab clinic in Qatar. Not once, but twice.   And she had to endure each setback with patience and support for her son.  Even as Joel Embiid prepared for the 2016-2017 season, there was no guarantee.  She waited, hoped, and prayed.

2020 hindsight. Would he still travel? Would she still support him?

Every young man has a moment in his life where he recognizes himself as capable and skilled.  A young son riding a bike without training wheels invariably calls out to his mother to see him riding without hands.  The young boy who captures a living creature in the yard, whether turtle toad frog or insect, and brings it home to display his prize catch.

The transition to adulthood from adolescence is a series of accomplishments followed by some form of parental acknowledgement.  That is how young men and women grow and transform into gentlemen and ladies.

A family’s journey

Stepping foot onto an NBA basketball court was a journey undertaken by the entire Embiid family.  A journey of over 900 days, two surgeries, two extended stays at a rehabilitation facility, and so much more.   The young man who boarded the plane aimed at the USA and his dream to play basketball had no idea what it would entail.

Had he known, he may have elected a differing sport. Certainly his mother, who had to hug and say farewell to her son, would have added more words of love, encouragement, and wisdom to her farewell.  But hindsight is always 20-20 vision.  He followed his dream. She followed her son from a distance.  In the end, they arrived at the Wells Fargo Center on November 29, 2017. He in his Philadelphia 76ers jersey, she sitting in the stands cheering him on.

Look Ma, no hands!

It was a moment of pride and excitement for both. Joel Embiid proved to the world that he was right. He deserved a place in the NBA and he flourished there. Now he had the chance to hold himself and all of his accomplishments to a mother who ached, endured, and supported him the entire way.  Each young man wants to display his best to his mother. Why should Joel Embiid, a rapidly rising star in the NBA be any different?

He does something on this planet few can do. And for one evening, he had an opportunity to show off for his mother. Good for him!

A son showing off for his mother

For a moment in time, this was not about an elite-to-be NBA player. It was not about the business of professional basketball. Nor was it even about the pursuit of an NBA championship, and the jewelry, prestige, and place in history that comes with the feat. For this rare and exciting moment in time, it was simply about a son showing off for his mother, Christine Embiid.

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It was a game, a fun and happy distraction from the world and the burden of living day to day. For the rarest and brightest of moments, it was the celebrated joy of witnessing a mother witnessing her son do what he loves most, and doing it so well that a city thousands of miles from the home he was raised stood up and cheered with her over and over again. Languages may differ. Culture may differ. But the universal language of love and joy crystallized in that moment.  And in that moment, I recalled why I love the sport of basketball and the Philadelphia 76ers.  It is more than salary cap, rebounds, rings and things.  It’s a sport filled with stories of how young men are fulfilling a lifelong dream, and their loved ones have an opportunity to cheer them on as they do so. In that moment, I felt something very special inside.