Bakery plays cupid for 76ers All-Star hopeful.
COLLEGEVILLE >> A sultry singing sensation and Philly’s favorite cager could be one step closer to an All-Star date with destiny thanks to the cupids at Collegeville Italian Bakery and Pizzeria.
It all started on Twitter, when 76ers first-year phenom Joel Embiid let it be known that the object of his secret crush told him to “come back when you’re an All-Star.”
That crush turned out to be none other than international superstar Rihanna. And her challenge prompted Embiid to enlist the help of fans to put him over the top in AllStar balloting.
That’s where the bakery came in. Avid Philadelphia sports fans and followers of social media, coowners Steve and Patrizia Carcarey decided to help the Sixer center’s cause by posting a sign that reads, “Rihanna — Joel Embiid has love on the brain — NBA vote” outside of the popular eatery on Ridge Pike in Collegeville.
“It’s hot. It’s local. And we just want a push to get him on the All-Star team,” Steve Carcarey said. “We just put two and two together. And if you know Rihanna’s music, that’s one of her songs, ‘Love on the Brain,’ so I thought of it, ‘Joel Embiid has love on the Brain,’ and that just went viral and crazy.”
Embiid, a social media maven in his own right, caught wind of the supportive gesture and made a game-time decision to show his appreciation.
His representatives reached out to the Carcarey family last weekend and said they wanted to meet and deliver a package of gratitude.
Carcarey said he told Team Embiid that he didn’t put the sign up to receive thanks or recognition, but they insisted and showed up at the bakery with an autograph, and a thank-you letter and two sets of tickets for Wednesday night’s game against the New York Knicks.
Best of all, they told the Carcareys that Embiid wanted to meet them and have them meet the team after the game.
“You don’t see this ... It was just a surreal opportunity for my family and myself.” Carcarey said. “From the time we got there, when his representation came out to the car, got my wife and daughter and brought them through the players’ entrance ... to inviting us to the family dining room where they host their families ... it was just unbelievable,” said Carcarey, adding that his family got to meet Philadelphia basketball and broadcast luminaries and his son received a special message of encouragement from legend Sonny Hill while on the floor during pregame warm-ups.
Carcarey posted pho- tos of the family’s night as Sixers’ guests of honor on the Collegeville Italian Bakery Facebook page.
“We left there thinking, ‘What a class organization,’” Carcarey said.
And what a game. The Sixers prevailed over the Knicks 98 - 97 by way of a thrilling go-ahead buzzer-beater by second- year guard Timothy McConnell.
After the game, in which Embiid notched team highs in points and rebounds, the family got to meet the man they already consider an All- Star.
They found out about Embiid’s fondness for Nutella from his representatives and gave the super- star Nutella crepes and a Nutella milkshake to take home with him.
“He absolutely loved it,” Carcarey said. “He thanked us for the sign. He was just very appreciative of what we did for him. He got a kick out of it. He just thought it was really funny. It was amazing”