Joel Embiid to make choice on country he would represent international after getting the USA citizenship.
NBA player Joel Embiid is left to make huge choice between representing USA or France internationally.
Though France is hopeful that the reigning NBA scoring champion Embiid will play for them for the 2024 Paris Olympics even though he recently became an American citizen, national team coach Vincent Collet said Thursday.
Embiid, the Philadelphia 76ers star, may choose to play internationally for the U.S. or France, but not both.
It was widely assumed that the NBA star would play for France at the Paris Games and possibly even next year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, until Embiid revealed last week that he now has American citizenship as well.
“Now he has both nationalities, and he has to choose one basketball nationality, which is not the same,” Collet told The Associated Press. “So, that is a choice. Nobody can do anything to change it.”
Embiid revealed recently that it’s too early to think about a decision. By rule, he will eventually have to declare a choice to FIBA, the sport’s international governing body, if he decides that he wants to play at the Olympics or World Cup.
France is the reigning Olympic silver medalist and is planning to have a team featuring Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, Nicolas Batum — and, quite likely, top NBA draft prospect Victor Wembanyama — at the Paris Games. France’s plan is to essentially take what will be its Olympic roster to the World Cup next year.
France won bronze at the 2019 World Cup and silver again at this year’s European championships.
With Embiid, that group would figure to be even better. Collet said Boris Diaw, the general manager of the French national team, has been in contact with Embiid to discuss options.
“I know he met some of our players to discuss,” Collet said. “I think he should play with us. But we will see. We will respect his decision whatever it is.”
