[Saba Sports News] Jean-Pierre Siutat appears to be personally aggrieved regarding Joel Embiid’s recent decision. Siutat, who serves as the president of the French basketball federation, expressed his sentiments during a press conference this week. When the conversation turned to Embiid, who chose to represent Team USA over France in the 2024 Olympics, Siutat did not mince words.
“We had a meeting with Joel, alongside former NBA player Boris Diaw, in March 2022,” Siutat revealed, as reported by Orazio Cauchi of BasketNews. “However, it’s important to note that we did not initiate this meeting. Joel had expressed interest in playing for France, and we assisted him in obtaining French citizenship at his request.”
Siutat added, “We never placed any demands on him. It’s regrettable that we invested so much time and effort in a matter that, in hindsight, should never have been pursued.”
Joel Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, officially became a French citizen in July 2022 and initially appeared inclined to join the French Olympic basketball team as they hosted the 2024 Games. However, the French federation imposed a strict deadline for him to make his decision, which may have influenced his choice. Ultimately, Embiid opted for the United States, where he also holds citizenship.
While Embiid did provide a noteworthy explanation for his decision, it offers little consolation to the French team, which will head into the 2024 Olympics without him. Instead, they will likely rely on Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama in his absence.