Joel Embiid didn’t exactly splurge after signing that $148 million extension

ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan has an excellent feature story on former Kansas star Joel Embiid, and it’s well worth your time to read.

There was one part of that story that stood out to me.

Embiid signed a five-year, $148 million contract extension last month. He already earned about $14 million after playing in 31 games during his first three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers. That’s like winning the lottery while already being filthy rich.

MacMullan asked Embiid, 23, what he bought after signing the extension and he gave her a one-world answer: “Nothing.”

This is from her story:

Just before the extension, he purchased a new home for his parents in Cameroon because the old one was filled with painful memories of his brother Arthur, who was struck and killed by a car three years ago. Embiid wasn’t tempted to indulge for himself, either with jewelry, a house or a new car.

“I don’t drive,” he says. “All I really need is my video games and a big-ass TV.”

Awesome. Oh, and maybe a few Shirley Temples to drink when playing those games.

This story was originally published November 3, 2017 at 11:52 AM.