Joel Embiid playing for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023. Photo by Tim Nwachukwu via Getty Images
Joel Embiid’s decision to play for Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics has drawn criticism from the French Basketball Federation.
Jean Pierre Siutat, current President of the French Basketball Federation, has denounced Embiid’s decision to join Team USA, believing he took the easy way out by joining a superteam over the French national team.
“Team USA, with him, who can beat you? Come on, nobody,” said Jean Pierre Siutat via The Athletic. “This is an easy way for him to get an Olympic medal.”
Embiid, who is originally from Cameroon, emigrated to the U.S. at age 16 to pursue basketball. He also holds citizenship in the United States and France, and was eligible to compete in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris for either Team USA, Team France, or Team Cameroon.
Choosing America Over France
Back in October 2023, Embiid opted to join Team USA over France. At the time, Embiid admitted that the choice was not easy.
“I love all three options, you know, with my home country, which I love a lot,” Embiid said back in October. “But I really want to participate in the Olympics, that’s been my goal and my dream. And you add that with the fact that my son is American, and I’ve been here for such a long time. … I’m really thankful for the opportunity. France—the commitment they were willing to make—I really appreciate it. It was a tough decision.”
Embiid also factored in the fact that Team USA lost the FIBA World Cup in the Philippines last summer. He believes that he will make enough of an impact to get Team USA over the hump at the Olympics this summer, once again putting America at the top of the global basketball world.
Chock Full of Talent
Embiid will join a stacked Team USA which already will comprise of NBA talents such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, and Anthony Edwards. They are far and away the favorites to win the Gold Medal this summer.
Team USA will face steep competition as Team France is also full of talent. They are being headlined by young phenom Victor Wembanyama, who has taken the NBA by storm. The idea was that Embiid could have teamed up with Wembanyama to create a superteam of their own, but that obviously will not happen.
Embiid is expected to be fully healthy by the time the Summer Olympics commence in Paris, on July 26. He was having an exceptional 2023-24 season, averaging 35.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists in 34 games, while shooting 53.3 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from the three-point range.
However, on January 30, Embiid suffered an injury to his left knee after Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga landed on it. Embiid ended up tearing the meniscus in that knee and needed surgery, and has been sidelined ever since. The 76ers have been a sinking ship since Embiid went down, though they currently are desperately clinging on to a playoff spot.
