Joël Embiid will be part of the list of players selectable for the France team. Star of the Philadelphia Sixers, the native of Yaoundé obtained French nationality on July 4.
For Vincent Collet, the coach of the Blues, there is therefore no reason to do without him.
“When it is completely selectable for administrative and physical reasons, I don’t see why we wouldn’t select it. We have always taken the best players and I consider that from the moment he is selectable, he belongs to this category.“, affirmed Vincent Collet in a press conference.
Boris Diaw agrees with Vincent Collet
Same story on the side of team manager Boris Diaw who says that if the 28-year-old pivot was not injured and had already obtained his papers including his passport, he would have been part of the group for Euro 2022 which will take place next September in Germany.
A statement that contrasts with his remarks last June. The former captain of the Blues then hinted that naturalization did not automatically mean selection for the France team.
A major gain for France, a huge loss for Cameroon
Joël Embiid aims to participate in the 2024 Olympics which will take place in Paris. A huge opportunity for the player but obviously not unanimous in his native country.
“With everything we’re seeing with African basketball right now, we mustn’t lose our nuggets. They must stay on the continent, make it shine. If all the talents do this, it’s sad for the African continent“, Cameroon coach Sacha Giffa said last July.
