Joel Embiid has a major decision to make prior to the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The 76ers 6-10 center, who led the NBA in scoring last season with a 30.6 point average and has dual citizenship, must decide whether to play for Team USA or France in the upcoming summer games.
Embiid was born in Cameroon and has French citizenship but he went to high school and college in America at Montverde and Kansas and was recently granted American citizenship.
Embiid has been a five-time All Star with the Sixers.
If he chooses to play, he could play a major role in determing who wins the gold medal.
America has dominated the Olympic games since 2008, winning four straight gold medals. The US has better depth than any country in the world but many established NBA stars have chosen to take a pass on the games after a long \
81-game NBA regular season that can extend into June if their teams go deep into the playoffs.
They are no longer invincible against organized Euroopean countries and Australia which are producing more NBA talent.
Embiid said it is too early to make a decision and declare his nationality to FIBA.
But If Embiid chooses to play for France, he will be a big piece for the reigning silver medalists that has a veteran team of NBA star center Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier and Nicholas Batum to go with 7-4 teenage phenom Victor Wembeyama, who should be the first
pick overall in the 2023 NBA draft pick.
Even without Embiid, the French could challenge the Americans. France won bronze in the 2019 World Cup and silver again in this year’s Eurocup
“I know he’s met with some of our players to discuss,” French national coach Vincent Collett said. “I think he should play with us. But we will see. We will respect his decison either way.”
