2023-10-05 18:17:08
His choice is made. Joel Embiid wants to play for the United States. After having long cast doubt on his choice for the 2024 Olympic Games, he who has American and French nationalities, the last MVP of the NBA regular season chose to represent the country of Uncle Sam in Paris in the summer next, according to ESPN.
Embiid reportedly conveyed his decision to Grant Hill, the boss of Team USA, this Thursday morning. The two had met a few days earlier for nearly an hour in Colorado, when his Sixers team was holding training camp.
Joel Embiid, the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player, has committed to play for Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Embiid informed Team USA executive director Grant Hill of his decision on Thursday morning, sources said, just days after the two… pic.twitter.com/W2dfW71aMs
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) October 5, 2023
Still according to ESPN, his choice is motivated by the desire to help the United States “return to the top of international basketball” after failing to win a medal at the world championships in Manila this summer.
The FFB tried everything
Born in Cameroon, the 76ers pivot had been naturalized French in July 2022, and therefore declared eligible to play with the French team. The president of the French Basketball Federation (FFB) Jean-Pierre Siutat still hoped last September to see Embiid play in the blue jersey. “We are working on it and we have a firm desire to do it. We had the opportunity to discuss it with him. We are now awaiting a decision. We know that the American team would be very interested in having him. And then Cameroon also qualified for the TQO (qualifying tournament for the Games). It may also be a rather delicate situation for him. It will happen very quickly in all cases,” he indicated on RMC.
We did not have to wait until October 10, the deadline set by the president of the FFB to know the choice of the pivot. The 76ers star will keep his blue club jersey, but will opt for that of a potential Dream Team with the United States notably around Kévin Durant.
Contacted this Thursday, the FFB did not wish to comment.
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