After romantically pursuing Rihanna for years, it seems Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is “on to the next one.” Back in 2014, the Kansas product fired off multiple tweets in an attempt to woo the “Disturbia” artist. Reality struck when Embiid’s dreams came to a halt after being turned down by — who many assumed to be Rih-Rih — tweeting, “This is the truth… I was trying to get with this famous girl and she said, ” Come back when you’re a All Star” bruhh.”
Fast forward four years and Embiid is staying healthy and enjoying a monstrous season, while posting averages of 24 points and 11 rebounds per game. Thursday (Jan. 18), the NBA announced Joel would be appearing in his first All-Star game in Los Angeles next month. After a win in Boston, TNT’s Kristen Ledlow rehashed the 23-year-old’s lust for Rihanna in a post-game press conference, “Years ago you were denied by a young woman, who told you to come back when you were an All-Star. Is there anything you’d like to say to anybody on TNT, right now?”
Embiid served up a hilarious rejection, “She denied me back then — so why go with her again. I’m going to have to pass that and move on to the next one. Trust the process.”
However, the mystery woman he was referring to might not be who everyone presumes. In 2017, Embiid denied in an interview with ESPN’s Dan LeBatard that it was the Bad Gal who previously given him the All-Star swerve, saying, “It’s not who everybody thinks it is,” and later answering the question of whether or not it’s Rihanna with a definitive, “No.”
Let’s see if Rihanna makes an appearance at All-Star weekend in February and has choice words for the Cameroon native. Maybe, Joel could rent her Hollywood home All-Star weekend, which recently hit the market.
Check out Joel’s previous tweets and last night’s (Jan. 18) interview below.
This is the truth… I was trying to get with this famous girl and she said ” Come back when you’re a All Star” bruhh pic.twitter.com/CFBnRqnKMA
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) August 17, 2014
Hey baby holla at me!! Dinner at giorgios at 930pm @rihanna????
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) July 22, 2014