Joel Embiid is a Cameroonian-American basketball player who has enjoyed an upward moving career since he was in college. After only a year of playing with the Kansas Jayhawks during post-secondary, he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014 and continues to impress on the court. He even recently renewed his contract with a three-year extension worth $193 million, keeping him on the team through the 2028-29 season. After over a decade playing in Philly, Embiid has become what some would call a “lifer” for the 76ers.
Like so many professional athletes, Embiid has made headlines for more than his career – instead fans are honing in on dating history. The ball player’s love life has been the topic of much discussion lately, as it is for many other players in the league. In the time following his July 2023, nuptials curiosity has been growing around his new bride. Here’s everything we know about Anne de Paula, who’s become something of a celebrity in her own right.
How Did Joel Embiid Meet His Wife?
Joel Embiid’s wife met him by coincidence. They crossed paths for the first time in 2018 while at a mutual friend’s dinner in New York City. De Paula did not even know who the pro baller was at first, despite his 7’0’’ stature. The two had a friendship before anything else developed. After playing it cool, Embiid eventually caught on to De Paula’s interest in him. Once they became an item, they were inseparable.
Brazil-Born Beauty Has Some Athletic Talents of Her Own
Anne De Paula is a model with a lot going for her outside of her appearance. She is from Brazil and has had a love for sports since she was young. Soccer was her sport of choice, but surely now she has an appreciation for basketball too given her new husband’s passion for the game. Of course, De Paula supports her husband by attending games and being his biggest cheerleader. But they also connected on their common love for soccer.
She grew up playing soccer and was a goalie for six years before she got into modeling. De Paula told Fox News in a 2018 interview that, “[…] you have to keep your nails looking nice for this job. But if I had some free time, I would definitely go back to Brazil and play.” Although she does not play soccer as much as she used to due to the nature of her modeling career, she still is very active. As she often references in social media posts, De Paula also enjoys Muay Thai. She began training when she was a teen and has since continued practicing to keep herself active.
Athlete’s Other Half Had Dreams of Working in the Medical Field Before Becoming a Model
Although De Paula has appeared in the Sports Illustrated annual issue four times since 2018, she did not always want to be a model. Her mother actually got her into the industry at a young age despite her daughter’s tomboyish ways. Although she dreamed of going into the medical field since her mother is an X-ray technician and her father is a doctor, her modeling career took off first. During a 2017 search for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit stars, she gained the fan vote and went on to do shoots all over the world – something she bonds with her husband over.
De Paula and Embiid Bond Over Their Affinity for Different Cultures
Both Embiid and De Paula left their home countries at a young age, so the two bonded over this unique experience. Their multicultural upbringing surely instilled in them a more worldly view. Since they both also jumped into their career field quickly, they have done a lot of traveling for work independently. Ever since the couple got together they have made a point to explore the world together and learn about other cultures.
They may have out down roots in Philadelphia for Embiid’s basketball career with the 76ers, but they are not letting that stop them from jet setting. The couple has visited the Maldives multiple times, which has become a favorite vacation spot. They have even posted about a big trip to see the Great Wall of China in 2019. As bilingual (Embiid speaks French and English) and trilingual (De Paula speaks French, Portuguese and English) people, there are so many opportunities for this couple to explore and flourish in the world on the horizon.
Before Their Wedding, the Happy Couple Welcomed a Child in 2020
The couple even embarked on one of life’s biggest journeys and challenges together, welcoming their first child in 2020. They named him Arthur Elijah de Paula Embiid, after Embiid’s younger brother who tragically passed away in a car crash. Their shared values have supported their growth as a couple and that was clear as the couple shared vows in an extravagant wedding. They got married in July of 2023 in a church in New York and hope to expand on their family in the future.
As Embiid jokingly stated in his Instagram post when his son was born, “We are so blessed and fortunate to welcome our little boy in this family. First of 11 or more? Trying to convince her but I’m not winning so far. I’m just trying to build a soccer team but for real I’m so excited for the future and my life has a new meaning.”
Olympian’s Second Love, Basketball, Is Front and Center in Netflix’s ‘Court of Gold’
Embiid continues to win big in other areas of life after making it official with De Paula, representing Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics this past summer. Embiid even contributed to some of the best early moments in Netflix’s new six-part docuseries Court of Gold. His rejection of Tyrese Haliburton, who jokingly proposed he join the Indiana Pacers alongside him has gotten some buzz. As a dedicated 76ers player, Embiid continues to stay loyal to his team despite his knee injury which might cause career instability in the future. No matter what happens later on though, Joel Embiid can always say he helped to bring home a gold medal.