Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP and star of the Philadelphia 76ers, has turned down France and Cameroon to represent Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics. According to ESPN, the 29-year-old informed Team USA executive director Grant Hill of his decision on Thursday.
They first met to talk about Embiid representing Team USA at the Sixers’ training camp in Fort Collins, Colorado. On Thursday, the Cameroonian-born basketball sensation revealed he had negotiations with French team officials, but he chose to commit to Team USA after meeting with Hill.
“I just wanted to make sure that I was making the right decision, and it just took me one last meeting with all parties involved and went ahead,” Embiid said.
“It’s exciting for USA Basketball that Joel Embiid wants to represent the United States,” said Hill in a statement on Thursday. “Joel and I have had several conversations about his goals and I’m looking forward to continuing that dialogue knowing that one of those goals is to represent USA Basketball next summer in Paris. As I’ve said before, I’m looking forward to the process of building the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s National Team roster over the next several months.”
Embiid traveled to the United States at the age of 16 to seek a professional basketball career after being born in Yaounde, Cameroon. In 2022, he was granted French and American citizenship. Aside from Team USA, the French national basketball team was also interested in having him represent them at the Olympics. The 29-year-old described the decision to represent one of the three countries as “tough.”
“I love all three options, you know, with my home country, which I love a lot,” Embiid said. “But I really want to participate in the Olympics, that’s been my goal and my dream. And you add that with the fact that my son is American, and I’ve been here for such a long time. … I’m really thankful for the opportunity. France — the commitment they were willing to make — I really appreciate it. It was a tough decision.”
Embiid’s decision comes after Team USA was upset by Germany in the FIBA Basketball World Cup semifinals this year. According to ESPN, the Sixers star committed to Team USA because he wants to help the country restore its status as a basketball powerhouse.
Although superstars such as Stephen Curry and LeBron James have expressed interest in representing Team USA at the 2024 Olympics, Embiid stated that this did not affect his choice. He also applauded the dedication of NBA players who, despite the long season, continue to play for Team USA.
“When you have guys committing like this, I think it’s great, not just for them but also for the game of basketball and the Olympics,” said Embiid. “Basketball is such a huge sport in this world.”
Embiid also spoke about how his son Arthur influenced his decision. The 3-year-old is an American citizen. “I feel like for the past few years, since [Arthur] has been born, every decision has been made just based on family,” he said. “My family, my son, and having the chance to represent a country like USA.”