At the ‘In Memory of Arthur’ block party, Joel Embiid remembers his late brother while giving back
Four days before a Sixers team with huge expectations begins training camp in the Bahamas — and a week after Embiid signed a three-year max contract extension — he took an evening to give back.
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Joel Embiid went a bit rogue upon arriving at the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center Friday night.
The 76ers superstar’s appearance at the “In Memory of Arthur” block party was supposed to be a surprise. But instead of waiting behind double-doors for a big reveal, Embiid immediately walked through the mostly empty North Philly gym and out to the parking lot, where about 200 kids were enjoying games and food trucks. He hoisted his 4-year-old son, also named Arthur, into the air to shoot a basketball, while a sea of blue No. 21 jerseys surrounded the 2023 NBA MVP.
They gathered to celebrate the unveiling of a 70-foot by 10-foot mural depicting Embiid’s Cameroonian and Philly roots, which overlooks the previously dedicated court honoring his late brother, who died at age 13 in a car accident in 2014. The block party came four days before an Embiid-led Sixers team with huge expectations begins training camp in the Bahamas — and a week after the seven-time All-Star signed a three-year max contract extension that demonstrates the player’s and franchise’s commitment to each other.
“Growing up, having been around a lot of struggle, that’s always been a goal of mine to have an impact,” Embiid said. " … That’s always been my belief and my goal, so I’m just happy.”
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It capped an offseason during which Embiid — who, in 2023-24, was on a historic statistical tear until knee surgery sidelined him for two months — was more in the public eye than usual.
His side-eye at Paul George during an impromptu television appearance at the NBA Finals foreshadowed the All-Star wing becoming the Sixers’ free-agency splash (“I spent a lot of time recruiting Paul, so I’m happy that he’s here,” Embiid quipped Friday). Later in the summer, Embiid won a gold medal for Team USA at the Paris Olympics. Earlier this week, he spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York City about growth opportunities for sports in Africa. He also spent more than a week with his family in Cameroon, a trip he hopes can help his son become a well-rounded person.
Among the attendees at Friday’s event — held in the recently renovated $36 million, 100,000 square-foot Nicetown facility that is operated by Philadelphia Youth Basketball, and whose namesake is the Sixers’ iconic “Sixth Man” superfan — were Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and teammates George, Tyrese Maxey, Andre Drummond, and Guerschon Yabusele. After mingling with the kids outside, Embiid did not give a formal speech inside the gym.
He then paused when asked what he would like people to know about his brother, acknowledging “it’s still tough thinking about the whole thing, but he’s also one of the reasons why I’m doing this.” Then, when asked what quality he hopes kids embody when they play on “In Memory of Arthur” court, Embiid answered with being humble and hardworking.
“For a lot of people that know my story, I would not be here if I had not put the work in,” Embiid said. “There’s no way, starting at 16 [years old], that I’m supposed to be here. But as long as you put the work in and, I guess, trust the process, it’s going to end up paying off.”