‘A huge inspiration’: Embiid’s NBA MVP and Cameroon’s hoop dreams

James Amasoka playing for the University of Yaoundé II in the 2023 Varsity Games [Daniel Ekonde/Al Jazeera]

Yaounde, Cameroon – After Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid finally achieved his dream of becoming the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) earlier this month, he said he wanted to inspire people across his native Cameroon and the wider continent.

“I have always felt like I was a role model, especially to my Cameroonian and African people,” he told reporters. “Just looking at my story they can look at it and be like ‘wow, he did it.’”