Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid commits to team for 2024 Paris Olympics
Philadelphia 76ers All-NBA center Joel Embiid has committed to play for Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympics, a person with knowledge of Embiid’s decision told USA TODAY Sports.
The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly until Embiid makes an announcement.
The 2022-23 NBA MVP could have played for France, where he has citizenship, or Cameroon, where he was born.
Ultimately, Embiid, 29, selected the U.S., telling USA Basketball men’s managing director Grant Hill at the Sixers’ training camp in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Embiid’s addition is a major boost for the U.S., which has won four consecutive gold medals but hasn’t won a FIBA World Cup title since 2014. It finished seventh in 2019 and fourth in September, losing to Canada in the bronze-medal game.
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Not only is Embiid a top-three player, he gives the U.S. size and strength it lacked last month. At 7-feet, 280 pounds, Embiid can score, rebound and defend. Last season, he averaged a career-high 33.1 points and added 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steal per game and shot a career-best 54.8% from the field.
Several stars, including LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant, have expressed interest in playing for the U.S. at the Paris Olympics.