NBA MVP Joel Embiid has expressed his desire to represent the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics, choosing the U.S. over other potential options such as France and his native Cameroon. Embiid made this decision known during a conversation with USA Basketball’s managing director, Grant Hill, on Thursday, as reported by various sources.
He explained his choice by stating, “My son is American, and I’ve been here for a long time. In recent years, my decisions have been largely influenced by family considerations. Family is what it ultimately came down to.
” This choice marked the culmination of an extensive deliberation process, without any reference to a phone call from the French President. Despite France’s basketball federation setting a deadline for his decision, which was next Tuesday, Embiid emphasized that the deadline wasn’t a significant factor and that he was fully prepared for this choice. He also expressed his desire to put an end to the constant questioning he had faced since the previous year. Although Joel Embiid is originally from Cameroon, he has never competed in a major international tournament for his birth nation.
This factor made it simpler for him to represent a national team other than Cameroon, as playing for Cameroon might have involved a complex process with the international basketball federation (FIBA). Last year, Embiid went through the necessary processes to become eligible to represent both the U.S. and France in international basketball. However, for the 2024 Paris Games, he could only select one nation to represent. Embiid’s decision to represent the United States strengthens the team, as it has lacked star centers compared to other positions in recent years.
Anthony Davis is the only American center to have made an All-NBA first, second, or third team in the last six seasons, but he last played at a major international tournament in 2014. When asked about his 2024 Olympic interest, Davis responded, “I have no idea yet.” The United States is not expected to announce its 12-man Olympic roster until late the following spring.
In the previous Tokyo Games, France handed the U.S. men’s basketball team their first Olympic defeat since 2004 during the group stage, although the U.S. later prevailed over France 87-82 in the final, marking its closest gold-medal game since the controversial loss to the Soviet Union in 1972.
During this summer’s World Cup, the U.S. finished fourth without any All-NBA players, while France placed 18th. France already boasts talented 7-footers like Rudy Gobert, a three-time NBA All-Star, and Victor Wembanyama, this year’s No. 1 draft pick, who chose to skip the World Cup.
Cameroon’s men’s basketball team has never participated in an Olympics or World Cup but managed to qualify for one of the four last-chance global qualifying tournaments scheduled for the following July.
