Joel Embiid, the star player for the Philadelphia 76ers, has had an outstanding career with numerous achievements. Since being drafted in 2014, he has faced many injuries but has continued to dominate the court. The 2023 NBA MVP scoring abilities have earned him admiration from many NBA fans. However, his decision to represent Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics was met with disapproval from fans in France. They have been hostile towards Embiid, booing him whenever he touches the ball or attempts to score for the team.
However, during a recent interview with The Athletic before Team USA’s practice on Tuesday, Embiid, who recently opened up about the hate he’s been receiving in the league, addressed the criticism from the French fans.
“Nothing. Like I said, I’m an American; I play for Team USA,” Embiid told the Athletic.
Embiid only played 39 games during the 2023-24 NBA season due to a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee. During the season, he also faced another challenge when he developed ‘Bell’s Palsy,’ a nerve disorder. Despite these setbacks, he delivered impressive performances, including a career-high 50 points against the New York Knicks.
Joel Embiid Shares His Deep Connection to Team USA
Joel Embiid was born in Cameroon but also has citizenship in France and America. Following his acquisition of French citizenship in 2022, a number of French supporters had high hopes that he would play for their country. Still, Embiid’s decision to play for the United States in the end caused outrage among the supporters. In a recent interview with David Marchese of the Athletic, Embiid expressed that playing for Team USA meant a lot to him because he has spent half of his life in America.
“It means a lot. I’ve spent half of my life here. I’ve got a great family, great wife, my son, so it just made a lot of sense. I’ve been given the opportunity to be here and accomplish a lot.” Embiid said.
Despite facing criticism from fans, he continues to give his best for his country. Embiid’s next game for Team USA will be against South Sudan on 1 August.
