The Sixers have used one word in describing their plan and building blueprint for moving forward: together. Today, they further showed that “together” is how they operated—on and off the court.
Joel Embiid lost his younger brother Arthur today. Arthur, living in Cameroon, died today in Africa. According to Dei Lynam, Embiid was described as “devastated”, which she learned in a text exchange with his agent, Arn Tellem. To help Embiid in the healing process, the team, like everything else, is helping him together.
Despite a game tonight, Head Coach Brett Brown will not be with the team on the court against the Celtics in preseason action, but instead with the 20-year-old. Brown, General Manager Sam Hinkie and teammate/mentor Luc Mbah a Moute will be with Embiid in the troubling time for him. For the time being, he is in Philadelphia.
Via Lynam, the Sixers released a statement on the situation.
"We obviously consider members of our organization as a huge family," director of public relations Michael Preston said. "When something of this nature occurs, it trumps a game. Our hearts, prayers and thoughts go out to his entire family."
Embiid himself was also from Cameroon, where his parents remain. Embiid is one of three children, also having a younger sister, Muriel.
This is not the first time the Sixers off-the-court have supported each other or showed a sense of “together.” Over the summer, the team sent Michael Carter-Williams, Nerlens Noel and Embiid overseas to support Dario Saric in his FIBA game for Croatia against Puerto Rico.
Chad Iske, an assistant coach, will coach tonight in Brown’s absence.
