Joel Embiid was unbothered by the boos he received from the French crowd during Team USA’s opening match against Serbia. “Nothing. Like I said, I’m an American. I play for Team USA,” Embiid stated on Tuesday, as reported by The Athletic’s Joe Vardon.
The Philadelphia 76ers center attracted the ire of French basketball fans after he chose to play for Team USA instead of France. Embiid became eligible to represent the United States after obtaining his American citizenship two years ago. Interestingly, he also received French citizenship just two months prior to his decision.
Embiid, who hails from Cameroon, had initially expressed interest in playing for France, leading the French basketball federation to work diligently to secure his citizenship. “He said, yes, I want to (play), make the paper,” French basketball president Jean-Pierre Siutat told Vardon earlier this year, referencing the French passport. “So I make the job, with the help of the government, to get a passport for him and for his son. And all the time, he said, ‘I want to play for the national team of France.'”
Despite this, Embiid denied ever verbally committing to represent France.
In his Olympic debut, Embiid faced challenges on the court, finishing with four points, two turnovers, and three fouls in just 11 minutes of play.
