January 13, 2017
As much as he has shined on the court this season — Averaging 19 and 8 in only 25 minutes per game as a rookie isn’t to be taken lightly — Joel Embiid has also taken the NBA by storm on social media. In a league that is followed obsessively online by a fan base that trends younger, the 22-year-old big man is unquestionably the league’s most colorful personality.
“I think I kind of represent Twitter in the NBA,” Embiid said. “But I never thought I would have this type of influence, and like I said, I’m just trying to be me. If people enjoy it, that’s great.”
After Friday’s team shootaround, Sixers “third-year rookie” was then asked if there are other NBA players that he likes to follow on social media.
“I don’t know, they’re all boring,” Embiid said.
“I don’t really go through my timeline, so I don’t really get to see what anybody else tweets. When I go on Twitter, I just tweet away, laugh at it, and leave. So I don’t really pay attention to it, but KD used to be great back in the day.”
In what was a perfect storm, the NBA took to Twitter for all-star voting in Embiid’s first year. And in a blend of fan photoshops/GIFs, celebrity endorsements, and Embiid’s own special brand of madness, the man who dubbed himself “The Process” is nipping at Kevin Love’s heels for third place and a starting spot in the Eastern Conference frontcourt*.
*Fan voting does only make up half of the process (sorry, unavoidable) for selecting all-star starters.
“Last night was Triple H, that was amazing,” Embiid said. “Meek Mill is family, a Philly guy. There’s been a lot of people giving me votes, helping me out.”
I learned this by watching you, @TripleH
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) January 12, 2017
Is the @WWE ready for The Process?
Joel Embiid #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/Ioya5CYpnU
To play the game you gotta go through The Process ... #NBAVote https://t.co/PzD3Qa46H6
— Triple H (@TripleH) January 13, 2017
Get my boy @JoelEmbiid into the 2017 @NBAAllStar Game in New Orleans. Retweet to vote! #NBAVOTE @Sixers #NBAAllStar #nba
— Meek Mill (@MeekMill) January 8, 2017
And, of course, there was that time Donald Trump came calling.
WOWWW RT @realDonaldTrump Joel Embiid #NBAVote
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) January 5, 2017
“I was shocked,” Embiid said. “I just saw it on Twitter, I was really shocked. I was like, ‘That’s the president of the United States giving me a shoutout.'”
OK, so maybe that last one wasn’t exactly real. But it does go to show the savvy that Embiid has when he’s not raining threes or blocking shots. He also seems very self-aware for such a young player, knowing full well the potential pitfalls of showing so much personality, the very reason why so many of his peers choose to be “boring” in the public eye.
“In the back of my head, I think this is going to backfire at some point,” Embiid said. “Before that day comes, I’m going to keep on going.”
Here are some of the greatest hits during Embiid’s #NBAVote campaign:
There is my chance to finally be with my CRUSH so i need your help y'all ha..... Joel Embiid #NBAVote https://t.co/lzxoKq2n10
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) December 29, 2016
I got you
— Sam Hinkie (@samhinkie) January 10, 2017
See you in NOLA
Joel Embiid #NBAVote https://t.co/grCPULyDcH
Gotta get my brother to Nola! #NBAVOTE @JoelEmbiid RT !!
— Nerlens Noel (@NerlensNoel3) January 9, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVote
— Richaun Holmes (@Rich_Holmes22) January 9, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVote if you trust the process RT this ....
— Ben Simmons (@BenSimmons25) January 10, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVote @JoelEmbiid
— Nik Stauskas (@NStauskas11) January 10, 2017
— Robert Covington (@Holla_At_Rob33) January 11, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVOTE
— Timothe Luwawu C (@timcabs) January 12, 2017
#Sixers fans! Let's help get @JoelEmbiid into the 2017 @NBAAllStar Game in New Orleans. Retweet to vote! #NBAVOTE @Sixers #NBAAllStar #nba
— Allen Iverson (@alleniverson) January 7, 2017
One a day bro. One a day #nbavote https://t.co/Og3OIy0RUW
— Marc Zumoff (@marczumoff) January 10, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVOTE @JoelEmbiid
— Elton Brand (@TheRealEB42) January 5, 2017
Let's get you in STUD!
#NBAVote Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/bNzIpcAub7
— Christian Crosby (@ChristianCrosby) January 12, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVote In the process I trust!
— Jordan Matthews (@jmattjmattjmatt) January 12, 2017
Trust the process @JoelEmbiid #NBAVOTE https://t.co/zU0e11Z8z5
— Connor Barwin (@ConnorBarwin98) January 13, 2017
.@Sixers #NBAVote Joel Embiid
— Phillies (@Phillies) January 12, 2017
We got you guys. pic.twitter.com/E3rZWiFxqP
Joel Embiid #NBAVOTE
— Mike Trout (@MikeTrout) January 12, 2017
.@Sixers #NBAVOTE Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/uwZpLucCeQ
— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) December 30, 2016
Your phone wants to know our schedule too.
— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) January 12, 2017
Sync it like #NBAVote Joel Embiid: https://t.co/m4rH5fQq7z #puns pic.twitter.com/WbcJBEzmVq
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO VOTE FOR THE PROCESS @JoelEmbiid TO BE AN ALL STAR. He's so good. He's also very nice and funny. #superstar #nbavote
— Davey Wavey (@lildickytweets) January 5, 2017
Help get @JoelEmbiid to the All Star Game! #JoelAndRihanna4Ever #IGotYouJoel Joel Embiid #NBAVOTE https://t.co/evFuFuyB9Y
— Kristine Leahy (@KristineLeahy) January 4, 2017
I need my followers 2get @JoelEmbiid aka The Process into the 2017 All Star Game in New Orleans. Tweet #NBAVote to make it happen. @Sixers
— F.Knuckles The Roots (@FrankKnuckles) January 10, 2017
@Sixers @JoelEmbiid - Joel Embiid #NBAVOTE #TTP pic.twitter.com/b94jsfAO6a
— Good Morning America (@GMA) January 12, 2017
You know what time it is.
— Drew Corrigan (@Dcorrigan50) January 7, 2017
Joel Embiid.#NBAVOTE pic.twitter.com/hFpzfN4QXj
Wow, look at this sneak peak of tonight's Always Sunny episode. #NBAVOTE Joel Embiid pic.twitter.com/0r23fHCMQL
— shamus (@shamus_clancy) January 11, 2017
Joel Embiid wants YOU to #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/HlJMTfrGXR
— Jimmy Donofrio (@JimmyDonofrio) January 5, 2017
Bernie laying it on thick.#NBAVOTE JOEL EMBIID pic.twitter.com/eq8fLDGNM1
— Legs (@legsanity) January 5, 2017
RT for Wawa
— max (@MaxRappaport) January 3, 2017
Like for Sheetz
Joel Embiid #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/4pSUwGjGmP
Wow, and the accolades for Joel Embiid just keep coming. #NBAVOTE @BarackObama, if you're a real basketball fan you'll throw my man a RT pic.twitter.com/f5tQ2c5i4W
— johnwintertweet (@johnwintertweet) January 13, 2017
A Big sign for a Big guy! @JoelEmbiid @rihanna @Sixers @NBA #NBAVOTE #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/jgQ2iBc7vi
— Collegeville Bakery (@CvilleItalBake) January 6, 2017
When you see the first round of All-Star vote tallying and you're one spot away from starting...
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) January 5, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/XTgNbGIATT
when u see that your catching up to K. Love in All Star voting..
— Did the Sixers Win? (@DidTheSixersWin) January 12, 2017
Joel Embiid #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/9S3iuGTwJf
(I had to cap this last group, because they’re all over the place. On the photoshops, Embiid said, “I love it, I always go through them and save most of them.”)
And hey, there’s still time. Fan voting ends in a couple of days, but Embiid won’t shut it down once the #NBAVote campaign dies down. He’s having too much fun for that.
“Everything I tweet, it’s like, ‘Should I do this?’" Embiid said. “And then I just start laughing, so everything I do on social media is really funny to me. I actually think I have the best laugh out of anybody.”
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
