UA Embiid One Origin Colorway
09.18.2020

The UA Embiid One: Act 1

The Beginning of The Process

According to Joel Embiid, his “life is a movie.” Sure, there have been a few recent and unexpected set changes. But, Joel is entering the second act of his real life story arc, eager to play the hero, eager to make history. 

 

You may remember from the opening credits and early character development, that Joel Embiid was born in Yaoundé, Cameroon in 1994. Despite jumping onto the scene amid the golden age of basketball, Joel had early dreams of becoming a professional volleyball player. 

 

In fact, he didn’t handle a basketball until age 15. He modeled his game a bit after Hall of Fame center Hakeem Olajuwon, an icon from nearby Nigeria. About a year later, another regional influence—fellow Yaoundé native and then Milwaukee Buck Luc Mbah a Moute—discovered Joel at a basketball camp hosted by the elder Cameroonian.

 

Soon after, Joel would move to the United States where he continued to learn from mentors like Mbah a Moute. He improved his game and gained visibility in Gainesville, Florida where he led his new high school squad to a state championship. For these efforts, Joel became a five-star recruit and signed with the University of Kansas. During his freshman season, he averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. And in 2014, Joel was drafted third overall by the Philadelphia 76ers. 

 

So began the process, Joel’s journey as a dexterous big man who could take over a game at will. Again, the things that sports biopics are made of.

 

Like every great hero, this first act is Joel’s origin story. 

 

It’s a unique setup that is now depicted in the UA Embiid One Origin, the first of several colorways fans can expect in the coming months. 

 

Joel’s early journey is depicted on Origin's sole through colorful outlines of Africa and North America, in addition to the names of regions that made an impact to his overall narrative, including Yaounde (Cameroon), Johannesburg, Kansas and Philadelphia. Joel’s new logo, which is inspired in part by his outstretched arms, is a testament to his continued success (and, perhaps, the ongoing saga).

 

The UA Embiid One Origin Colorway is highlighted by a black, light-weight mesh upper to facilitate breathability and vibrant red and yellow TPU support wings specially designed to offer additional midfoot stability. The midsole includes UA’s proprietary UA HOVR™ and Micro G® cushioning technologies to help deliver both big-time functionality and comfort. 

 

The UA Embiid One Origin colorway will release in North America for $120 USD adult and $90 USD grade school via UA.com, UA Brand Houses, and Eastbay.com on September 18. It will be available worldwide beginning October 2.

 

Fans eager to see how the Origin will look on-foot can do so virtually using Snapchat’s latest AR lens filter. After scanning the colorway’s unique Snapcode, the app will open a virtual try-on experience. Flip the camera, point at your feet and you’ll discover what you look like laced up in Joel’s first signature shoe. The feature is available via the Snapchat Lens Explorer.