“Easy way for him to get an Olympic medal” French Basketball President takes a cheeky dig at Joel Embiid for his decision to play for USA over France at the 2024 Olympics

In October 2023, Joel Embiid declared his choice to join Team USA.

“Easy way for him to get an Olympic medal” French Basketball President takes a cheeky dig at Joel Embiid for his decision to play for USA over France at the 2024 Olympics

Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid, a native of Cameron who has lived in the US since boyhood, had to make a risky choice in October 2023 regarding his international future. The all-star for the Philadelphia 76ers never played internationally, but he had three options (France, Cameron, and the United States) to choose from. However, Embiid decided to play for the United States after obtaining US citizenship in 2022, which prompted the FBF president to make a rather controversial statement.

French men’s national team general manager Boris Diaw and FBF president Jean-Pierre Siutat both said that his contract with the French team was almost finalized. However, everyone was taken aback when Joel Embiid revealed his choice for his USA team. In a recent interview with The Athletic, Siutat and Diaw discussed his transfer to the USA team, cryptically referring to it as “an easy win for him to get the Olympic Medal.”

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Speaking with “The Athletic” Jean-Pierre Siutat said:

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Team USA, with him, who can beat you? Come on, nobody. This is an easy way for him to get an Olympic Medal.
Jean-Pierre Siutat said

Siutat claimed that Embiid approached them and requested to be a player on the French team. The FBF president also mentioned that the USA is now more likely to win the Olympics in 2024 after Embiid’s entrance. The 30-year-old had his reason for not considering France as his team. Even his representative claimed that the French side went after it without Embiid’s request.

Why did Joel Embiid choose the USA over France or Cameroon for the 2024 Olympics?

Embiid had a difficult time deciding between France, Cameron, and the United States. However, the Philadelphia 76ers star had good cause, and in October 2023, he declared his intention to compete for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics, citing his over ten years of American residency and his baby boy being American.

Speaking to USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill, Joel Embiid said in October:

My family, my son, and having the chance to represent a country like the U.S. and my son being born here. Like I said, I love my home country, but ultimately, I really want to play in the Olympics.
Joel Embiid said

Since Embiid has never represented his own country of Cameron, changing his international squad would have required a drawn-out FIBA procedure if he had. Even though he is healing swiftly from surgery, he still has a knee issue, thus his participation may be in doubt.

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