All About Joel Embiid’s Son Arthur

The Team USA basketball player and his wife, Anne de Paula, welcomed their son Arthur in 2020

Joel Embiid wants to make his son, Arthur Embiid, proud.

Since he and his wife, model Anne de Paula, welcomed their first child in September 2020, the Philadelphia 76ers forward has undergone a shift in perspective.

“I want [Arthur] to see me at my best, just like I saw my dad,” Joel shared in an ESPN interview in 2021. “I want him to see his dad as the best player in the world.”

According to Anne, her husband and son have a special bond, to the point where Arthur appears to be in tune with his father physically. In March 2021, Arthur “woke up crying hysterically, almost like he had a nightmare,” around the same time his dad got hurt in a game against the Washington Wizards.

Related: Who Is Joel Embiid's Wife? All About Anne de Paula

“They are like best friends,” she explained in the same interview. “When Arthur sees him, there is no one else in the room. It is the most beautiful thing ever. It almost felt like, with their connection, Arthur sensed something was going on.”

Here's everything to know about Joel Embiid's son, Arthur.

He was born in 2020

Joel and Anne welcomed their son Arthur Elijah De Paula Embiid on Sept. 17, 2020.

The professional basketball player announced the personal news on social media a week later and joked about creating a sports team of his own.

“We are so blessed and fortunate to welcome our little boy in this family,” he wrote on Instagram. “First of 11 or more? Trying to convince her but I’m not winning so far. ... but for real I’m so excited for the future and my life has a new meaning.”

Joel also thanked his then-girlfriend, Anne, “for being so strong and giving me the Greatest Gift our life can offer.”

He's named after his late uncle

Joel’s younger brother, Arthur, died at the age of 13 in 2014 after he was hit by a truck while walking home from school in their native Cameroon, according to a piece the athlete wrote for The Players’ Tribune.

The fatal accident occurred during the forward’s rookie season in Philadelphia, and the loss led him to question his future in the sport. Over time, Joel found renewed purpose in becoming a father and honored his late sibling in a heartfelt way.

“What I remember from him the most was how great of a person he was, even at his age,” Joel told ESPN in 2021. “He used to take stuff from the house and go help people around the neighborhood. People that didn't have anything."

He continued, "When I found out [Anne was having a boy], I just knew his first name was going to be Arthur.”

Since then, Joel has mentioned how important the gesture continues to be for him. “Losing my brother and then giving his name to my son meant a lot,” he shared in a 2023 press conference.

He's a source of motivation for his father

When Joel won his first Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2023, he accepted the award in a ceremony before his Philadelphia 76ers took on the Boston Celtics and Arthur joined him on the court as he delivered a moving speech.

“My son is the reason why I'm really sitting here,” he explained to the press afterward. “When I found out we were having a kid, I just remember I was like, 'I've got to be a great role model, and I've got to set a good example.'"

Joel added, "I want him to understand that his dad not only was pretty good, but he also worked hard, and he went and took everything he wanted.”

He stole the show at his dad’s press conference

Arthur was on hand after his athletic father picked up a Game One win against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs in 2023.

The young tyke sat on Joel’s lap as he held court with reporters in the post-game press conference. Arthur played with his miniature toy cars and tinkered with the microphone as Joel gently tried to keep him settled.

His parents kept their pregnancy private

The public only became aware that Joel and Anne were expecting when they announced Arthur’s birth in September 2020.

The couple kept the news under wraps throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but Joel expressed doubts about playing the NBA season in the “bubble” due to safety concerns for himself and his family.

“I know myself, I know I’m not going to put everybody else at risk,” he said, according to ESPN. “But the question is, ‘Is everybody else going to do the same?’ And I surely, just being around this business, I surely don’t think so.”

“You don't want to be in a situation where you put your life [at] risk just for the money,” he added (via Sixers Wire). “At the end of the day, basketball is not all that matters. I've got my family, I've got myself to look out for. So that's all I care about.”

He caught the attention of his dad during a game

Arthur is Joel’s top priority, even during games: In December 2023, during a game against the Atlanta Hawks, Joel took a moment from his dominant performance to share a sweet exchange with his son.

The then-MVP waved at Arthur, who was sitting courtside, and the youngster’s face lit up with a smile as he waved back.

He influenced his dad’s Olympic decision

Joel was among 12 players named to the U.S. basketball men’s national team for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

He was born in Cameroon and became an American citizen in 2022, and while he is also a French citizen, he chose to play for Team USA. This will be Joel’s first Olympics, and deciding which country to represent was difficult.

“It was tough. Obviously, I loved all three options, with my home country [Cameroon], which I love a lot. But I really want to participate in the Olympics, that's been my goal and my dream,” he said in 2023.

Joel elaborated, “You add that with the fact that my son is American, and I've been here for such a long time. I feel like for the past few years since he's been born, every decision has been made based on family.”

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