Along with Raptors President Masai Ujiri, Joel Embiid is in New York this week for the UN General Assembly. They are scheduled to participate in two events, and on Monday, they were invited to The Earthshot Prize Innovation Summit 2024. An unforgettable experience for the Sixers pivot.
“I had never experienced the United Nations General Assembly and it was an eye-opener” Embiid reacted. “I’ve met so many African leaders who are trying to create opportunities. I think about my own experience, all Africans are professional athletes all over the world and how we can combine all of these influences together.”
At the microphone, Embiid first spoke about the difficulty of moving towards his favorite sport due to the lack of infrastructure. He himself only started playing basketball at 16 years old. “I grew up playing sports, but I played volleyball. Masai talked about infrastructure, and we don’t have a lot of opportunities. It wasn’t until I was 16 that I started playing basketball. I was lucky because someone saw something in me, and that’s one of the people who gave me a chance. That’s really one of the reasons I’m sitting here with you.”
Share your story to prove it's possible
Embiid and Ujuri's goal is to convince political leaders and investors that Africa is full of talent, and that it is necessary to share their experience to prove that it is possible. Everything involves sharing their journey.
“It's all about youth and, for me, I feel like there's a lot of talent out there, but often you don't see it.” regrets Joel Embiid. “If I wasn’t lucky, I wouldn’t be sitting here. But when you look at my story, I just want people to understand that it’s possible. That’s why it’s so important to tell your story. Growing up, I watched a lot of athletes in every sport, because I watch every sport. I wanted to be as successful as those guys and give it my all. I wasn’t supposed to be here, honestly. When you look at my story, I just want people to dream and believe that it’s possible.”
Africa needs models and infrastructure
Then, of course, infrastructure is essential so that the youngest talents can express themselves and develop. In sport of course, but also in education and health.
“It always comes back to infrastructure. Not just in sports, but also in education and health. I think about mentors. Those are some of the keys. Role models, you know, Masai was a role model, especially for me. I was in that situation for a long time… all I care about is helping people,” concludes the Olympic champion. “Since I became a father, it’s even more important because I look at my children. I look at the legacy I want to leave; I want them to understand the world. They have everything, but growing up, we didn’t have everything. I want them to understand that’s not the case in the countries where we grew up. So I think the focus on youth, infrastructure and mentoring is very important because it’s helped me a lot.”
