France worked hard to convince the Philadelphia 76ers’ star Joel Embiid to join their national basketball team, but their efforts have reportedly been in vain. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Emiid has committed to play for Team USA at the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, was born in Cameroon but also has French and American citizenship. He was eligible to play for all three countries but is yet to make his international debut.
Shelburne reports that Embiid recently met with Team USA executive director Grant Hill and informed him about his decision on Thursday morning. Part of his motivation for choosing the U.S. has reportedly been his wish to help the country “return to the top of international basketball.”
Team USA had a disappointing campaign at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, missing out on a medal after losing the semi-finals against Germany and a third-place match against Canada. However, it is important to note that the United States didn’t send its strongest team to the tournament.
The 2024 Olympics are expected to be a completely different story, considering that a number of superstar players privately expressed a desire to play in Paris. Besides Embiid, the Team USA roster might include LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and several other NBA’s biggest stars.
