Joel Embiid becomes French Citizen before the 2023 FIBA World Cup to team up with Rudy Gobert


Joel Embiid becomes French Citizen before the 2023 FIBA World Cup to team up with Rudy Gobert

Joel Embiid

Team USA has been the strongest force on the international stage when it comes to Basketball. They have won 16 Gold medals in a total of 19 appearances in the Olympics while adding 5 more Golds in the FIBA World cup. With some resistance from European and South American Countries, it’s fair to say that, normally Team USA always had been favorites to win Gold every time they participate. But now there is a major reinforcement coming into the French national team that was led by Rudy Gobert in the Olympics. Philadelphia 76ers megastar Joel Embiid has finally obtained a French passport and is now eligible to play for the French national team. That would give Les Bleus a strong front court with experience Joel Embiid, Gobert, and 2023 Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama.

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The 2020 Olympic Silver medalists lost to the USA in the Finals but it was a very narrow loss for them The United States won 87-82 in the gold medal game against the French Star-studded team including Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Theo Maledon. The addition of Embiid and Victor Wembanyama would give them a strong front court in next year’s FIBA World Cup, and 2024 Olympics.

Joel Embiid can infuse winning energy into the French national side

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Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid was born in Cameroon and can speak fluent French. He also has some family members living in France, connecting him to Les Blues strongly. Runners-up to the regular season MVP award, Embiid reportedly started the process of becoming a naturalized citizen for France a few months ago. Former NBA player and French international Boris Diaw commented on Embiid’s application back in May. He confirmed to L’Équipe that the Sixers superstar has started the process.

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“I know he has personally started the naturalisation process and that he would like to play for France,” Diaw said. “That being said, we are not putting the cart before the horse and we are waiting for these procedures to be completed.”

Though the 28-year-old Center represented the Cameroonian national team before, the lack of competitiveness of the team has never led them to any major success. But now with the French side, Embiid is in a position to compete for medals in the Olympics.

Embiid will be eligible to play in the 2022 EuroBasket but is expected not to. The hope is that Embiid can be inculcated into the French system by the 2023 FIBA World Cup and be a key part of the 2024 Olympics that are being hosted by Paris where France will be the biggest threat to Team USA.

The addition of Embiid to the French squad will make them an even better team. Gobert and Embiid may work together since the latter can shoot from beyond the arc. It’s also worth noting that the Sixers superstar is arguably one of the best players in the world today.

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Rudy Gobert and Joel Embiid

It will be interesting to see Embiid and Gobert playing with each other. With young Victor Wembanyama also coming through the ranks, France arguably has the best big-man rotation right now.

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