WATCH: Joel Embiid gets yelled at by ‘salty’ French fans, asking to return passport

Joel Embiid decided to play for Team USA after showing interest to play for France.

WATCH: Joel Embiid gets yelled at by ‘salty’ French fans, asking to return passport

Joel Embiid yelled at by 'salty' French fans, asking to return passport, after he decided to play for Team USA in Olympics instead of France

When Joel Embiid decided to represent Team USA basketball at the Olympics, many fans across the world were shocked. Especially, those from France and Cameroon. He is a native Cameroonian and could have represented his birth country. While he could have also represented France the majority of his family lives there. This is why when he arrived in France, he was met with an unpleasant situation.

The group stage games of the Paris Olympics 2024 are to take place at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy arena in Lille. To get there, Team USA along with other international teams had to take the train from Paris. As they disembarked the train and made their way to a waiting bus, some fans were heard yelling at Joel Embiid in French:

Give back your passport. You should have played for France.
French fans to Joel Embiid
YouTube video

Those words came after fans realized the Philadelphia 76ers superstar had intended to play for France. He even sent a letter to French President Emmanuel Macron pledging the same.

FS Video

The 7′ 1″ big man wanted French citizenship for himself and his family. That is what led him to send that letter of intent. However, despite getting the passport, he opted against playing for the French national team. Now instead of France, his jersey says USA.

He suggested that his son being born in the USA and him building a career there as the reasons for switching to play for America. French fans know that had Joel Embiid been a part of their national team, they could have had a legitimate chance at challenging Team USA.

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Joel Embiid could have helped France be a legitimate gold medal contender

France has a capable men’s basketball team. With the likes of Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama, Nicolas Batum, and other European league players, they are a decent force. However, they are not in the same league as Team USA. Had Joel Embiid decided to join the Les Blues, it could have altered that narrative.

They could have had three of the best big men in the NBA. Even though it might sound unbalanced, they could complement each other. Gobert is no doubt the interior protector. That would have enabled Embiid to focus all his energy on offense. This lineup could also use Wembanyama on the wing, where he can play.

Add Batum and longtime point guard Nando de Colo, and the French could be a legitimate threat to any other national basketball team. French fans aware of what could have happened in the Paris Olympics 2024 just reminded the Philadelphia 76ers superstar of what he did.

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