With an MVP award on his mantel, the 76ers center is building it bigger off the court with a new multimedia venture inspired by his improbable ascent to superstardom.
On Thursday, the freshly-crowned NBA MVP Joel Embiid announced the launch of his new media company, Miniature Géant, in partnership with the SpringHill Company, the media firm co-founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter. According to an official release, Miniature Géant’s mission is “to inspire the next Joel Embiid, captivating global audiences and inspiring them to chase their dreams.”
Miniature Géant will produce stories across multimedia channels including unscripted, scripted, audio, and branded material with the goal of highlighting individuals who have pursued nontraditional avenues to success. Miniature Géant’s mission includes a partnership with former ESPN president John Skipper’s Meadowlark Media, with intentions to release an adaptation of Sebastian Abbo’s 2018 novel The Away Game: The Epic Search for Soccer’s Next Superstars. The story follows a group of 13-year-old boys scouted out of millions in Africa to attend a prestigious soccer academy — and if it sounds familiar, it’s because Embiid himself was scouted in his native Cameroon to play basketball stateside. The Philadelphia 76ers star will join Skipper and Deirdre Fenton as an executive producer.
Keeping in line with honoring his West African upbringing, another Miniature Géant venture includes a documentary chronicling Embiid’s path from the streets of Yaoundé to a six-time NBA All-Star, which he will also take on the role of executive producer alongside Maverick Carter.
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“Joel Embiid is one of the greatest basketball players of this generation, but he’s an even better human being. He’s incredibly smart, funny, and thoughtful and we’re really lucky to have this opportunity to work with him as he shares his unique point of view with the world,” Maverick Carter said in the release. “At SpringHill, our mission is empowerment, and UNINTERRUPTED was built to empower athletes as creators so they can create important and impactful content. Joel is the perfect person to do this with.”
As Embiid himself added on the occasion:
“I came to America when I was 16 years old, just three months after I picked up a basketball. There’s no way I could have gotten to where I am today without the grit and hard work fans see every day on the court. I’ve often said my life is like a movie, and now I am fortunate enough to be in a position to create the stories that I know will resonate with kids around the world and encourage them to dream big. I could not think of a better partner than The SpringHill Company and can’t wait for our stories to be out there.”
