Quotes from Joel Embiid

I wanted to become president, and I wanted to become an astronaut. Because I was really good at math.

Before games and sometimes practice, I like something with a dope beat. Like Rick Ross, when he's just like, 'RUH!,' all that stuff.

When I was visiting schools, I wanted to go and see what they got. After my visit, I knew that Kansas was good.

I want people to say that an African basketball player is the best player in the whole world.

One night, I went out with my teammates. I don't drink alcohol, so I wasn't drinking. This girl walked up to me; she was talking to me. She was like, 'Why aren't you drinking?' I was like, 'I just don't drink. Alcohol is nasty.' She said, 'I might have something for you.' She went and got a Shirley Temple. Then I was like, 'Ohhh, OK.'

It's basketball; it's always good to blow a team out.

I love when people tell me that I was gonna be a bust. I enjoy when people tell me, 'You suck. You can't dribble. You can't shoot,' because it's like, gotta go to the gym.

I have lots of confidence in myself that I can fulfill my dreams and make the people of Philadelphia proud.

I want to have a lot to do with winning a championship or bringing a championship back to the city of Philadelphia.

Philly will be the place for me for my whole career.

I want to be in Philly for the rest of my life.

Every time I'm on the court, every time a fan cheers for me, I just want to go out and make a play for them to cheer even more.

When I was still back in Cameroon, because I didn't know English, I used to listen to French rap all the time and then a little bit of American hip-hop. And then, when I got to the States, that's when I really got into all those guys - Lil Wayne, Rick Ross, all those guys.

My coaches sometimes say I'm a little bit too competitive. But I want to win, and I feel like we should win every game.

I love competing. I mean, if you ask anybody around me, my coaches, they know I love competing. I hate losing.

I feel like I'm one of the most physical players in the league - I love contact. I love attacking. I love going to the free throw line.

I like playing in front of the crowd and get them into it.

I always dream about that type of moment. In my head, I always kind of create that scenario, just about, like, some type of winning shot or block that's going to, like, really get the crowd into it.

I like playing on the road and quieting the crowd. I love it.

When I sat down with Under Armour, one of the first things we talked about was how this can be bigger than just shoes, bigger than just basketball.

Whatever happens happens. If something happens, something happens. But I believe in God, and I pray every day.

A lot of people just think I'm a big man, but I'm a basketball player. I am able to do everything that a basketball player can do - from playmaking and scoring to just passing the ball and just being a leader and post presence.

I want to be the Defensive Player of the Year and, if I have the chance, be MVP.

On the defensive end, I have to do my job.