Joel Embiid visits Meek Mill in prison to offer support

Joel Embiid had to deliver a simple message to rapper Meek Mill and he wanted to do it face-to-face.

So the seven-footer recently made the trek to see the incarcerated rapper in a Pennsylvania prison and told the 30-year-old Philadelphia native what he and his Sixers teammates have often said publicly :

“We’re behind you.”

Mill — who’s real name Robert Williams — has received an outpouring of support from fans and celebrities after being sentenced for up to four years for violating his probation.

The case itself has been anything but straightforward, with Mill’s team claiming the judge asked the rapper to switch record labels and record a Boyz II Men cover. It’s not the first time someone from the city’s NBA team has involved himself in the trial, either. Before the sentencing, Sixers co-owner Michael Rubin sent a letter to the judge arguing on Mill’s behalf.

Outside of Philadelphia, stars like Colin Kaepernick, T.I. and Rick Ross have been staunch supporters of the rapper while Jay-Z has been one of the loudest voices arguing to free Meek Mill:

Embiid and teammate Ben Simmons were also photographed at Jay-Z’s Philadelphia concert holding “I Stand With Meek Mill” shirts.

“He’s a good friend of mine so I just wanted to support him,” Embiid told NBC Sports Philadelphia about his visit the prison. “There’s a little bit of injustice.”

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Blake Schuster is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at blakeschuster@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Schustee