Joel Embiid has two options, both with the colors red, white and blue. He can play with the United States team or with the French team.
And an Olympic medal could hang on his decision.
The French team is still confident that Embiid, the NBA’s reigning scoring champion, will choose to join them for the 2024 Paris Olympics, despite recently becoming a US citizen, coach Vincent Collet said on Thursday.
The Philadelphia 76ers star could also choose to represent the United States. But he cannot choose both options.
Many assumed he would play for France at the Paris Olympics and even next year at the World Cup in the Philippines, until Embiid revealed last week that he now has US citizenship as well.
“Now, he has both nationalities, and he has to choose a basketball nationality, which is not the same thing,” Collet told The Associated Press. “So, he will have to choose. No one can do anything to change this.”
Embiid was born in Cameroon and already had French citizenship. His girlfriend is Brazilian and their son is American.
The basketball player attended high school in Florida and played college in Kansas.
A five-time All-Star and four-time All-Star, he has spent his entire professional career with Philadelphia, averaging 26 points in his first six seasons and 30.6 on his way to the season scoring crown. previous.
Last week, he told the AP that it is too early to make a decision. As a rule, he must decide before FIBA if he wants to play in the Olympics or the World Cup.
France took silver at the Tokyo Games, and their roster could include Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, Nicolas Batum and probably top NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama.
