If you were paying attention to the NBA back in the early 2010s, the name Joel Embiid felt like a myth before it ever felt like a reality. Most fans know the guy as the dominant, trash-talking MVP of the Philadelphia 76ers, but the story of how he actually got into the league is kinda wild. It wasn't some smooth transition from college star to immediate NBA sensation. In fact, for a long time, it looked like he might be one of the biggest "what-ifs" in basketball history.
So, let's get the specific answer out of the way first. Joel Embiid was drafted on June 26, 2014. The Philadelphia 76ers took him with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. But honestly, just knowing the date doesn't tell you half of it. To really understand why "when was Embiid drafted" is such a massive trivia point for Sixers fans, you have to remember the absolute chaos surrounding that night at the Barclays Center.
The Draft Night That Almost Didn't Happen
Going into the 2014 season at the University of Kansas, Embiid wasn't even supposed to be the "guy." All the hype was on his teammate, Andrew Wiggins. People were calling Wiggins the next LeBron. Meanwhile, Embiid was this skinny kid from Cameroon who had only started playing organized basketball at age 15. Think about that. Most NBA players have a ball in their hands by the time they can walk. Embiid was literally watching YouTube videos of "white people shooting threes" to learn his form just a few years before the pros.
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By mid-season, the scouts realized Embiid was a freak of nature. He was moving like Hakeem Olajuwon. He was 7 feet tall but had the footwork of a soccer player. He quickly shot up to the projected #1 spot.
Then, the floor fell out.
Just days before the draft, news broke that Embiid had a stress fracture in the navicular bone of his right foot. For a guy his size, that's a terrifying injury. It’s the same kind of thing that messed up careers for big men like Yao Ming and Bill Walton. Suddenly, the "sure thing" was a "huge risk."
Why the 76ers Took the Leap in 2014
When the Cleveland Cavaliers were on the clock with the first pick, they got cold feet. They went with Wiggins. The Milwaukee Bucks were up next at number two, and they took Jabari Parker.
That left the 76ers sitting at three.
This was the peak of "The Process." Sam Hinkie, the Sixers' GM at the time, was basically conducting a massive experiment. He didn't care about winning games in 2014. He wanted superstars, and he was willing to wait for them. He knew Embiid was going to miss his entire first season—maybe more. Most GMs would have been fired on the spot for taking a guy who couldn't play. Hinkie didn't blink. He saw the generational talent and pulled the trigger.
The Long Wait for the Debut
If you think the draft was stressful, the next two years were worse. Embiid didn't just miss the 2014-15 season. He had a setback. A second surgery. He missed the 2015-16 season, too.
By the time he actually stepped onto an NBA court for a real game, it was October 26, 2016. That’s over 850 days after his name was called by Adam Silver. People were calling him a "bust" before he ever wore a jersey. The internet was ruthless. But the Sixers stayed patient, and honestly, that patience is the only reason the franchise is relevant today.
What Most People Get Wrong About Embiid’s Draft Year
A lot of fans forget how stacked that 2014 class was supposed to be. You had Wiggins, Parker, Julius Randle, and Aaron Gordon. But looking back, Embiid is clearly the crown jewel.
There's also this misconception that he was always a "lock" for the top three. If the draft had happened two weeks earlier, he's probably the #1 pick. If it happened two weeks later—after more medical reports came out—he might have slid out of the top ten. The timing was everything.
Key Details from the 2014 Draft:
- Date: June 26, 2014
- Location: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
- Selection: 1st Round, 3rd Overall
- Team: Philadelphia 76ers
- College: Kansas (Freshman year only)
It’s also worth noting the emotional weight of that time for him. While he was recovering and waiting to play, his younger brother, Arthur, tragically passed away in Cameroon. Embiid has talked openly about how he almost quit basketball entirely during those two "dark years" after being drafted. He was in a boot, in a foreign country, grieving, and being called a failure by people who hadn't even seen him play.
The Impact Today
Fast forward to 2026, and the gamble has paid off in a way few could have imagined. We’re talking about a guy who has multiple scoring titles, an MVP trophy, and has been the face of a city for a decade.
When you look back at when was Embiid drafted, you aren't just looking at a date on a calendar. You're looking at the start of one of the most improbable careers in sports. He went from a volleyball player in Yaoundé to a top-three pick in the world's best league in roughly five years.
If you're a Sixers fan, that June night in 2014 is basically a holiday. It was the night the team decided that "great" was worth waiting for, even if it took two years of crutches and surgeries to get there.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you're tracking the history of NBA rebuilds, the 2014 draft is the ultimate case study. It proves that medical red flags shouldn't always scare a front office away from a "tier one" talent. For collectors, rookie cards from the 2014 set (especially the Prizm ones) remain some of the most sought-after items because of the sheer scarcity of his early-career highlights.
To truly appreciate the Embiid era, you have to watch his 2014 Kansas highlights. Notice the raw speed. It’s a reminder that even before the foot injuries, he was a different breed of athlete. Watching those old clips makes you realize why the Sixers were willing to risk everything on a kid who couldn't even walk across the stage to put on his hat.
Now that you've got the full context on his draft journey, take a look at his career stats compared to the two guys drafted ahead of him, Wiggins and Parker. The gap in production and impact is staggering, proving that sometimes the best things really do come to those who wait.