[Saba Sports News] Joel Embiid has officially announced his decision to represent Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, and he provided some intriguing reasoning behind his choice.
The Philadelphia 76ers star confirmed his decision while speaking with reporters, expressing his desire to win a gold medal and noting the strength of the American team. Additionally, he mentioned that his decision was influenced by his young son, Arthur.
Embiid explained, “You add that to the fact that my son is American and that I’ve been here [in the U.S.] for such a long time. I feel like for the past few years, every decision has been made based on family, my family, my son.”
Embiid and his wife Anne de Paula welcomed their son Arthur in September 2020, and Arthur was born in the U.S., granting him American citizenship. Embiid himself, who moved to the U.S. in 2010 at the age of 16, became an American citizen in September 2022.
As the reigning NBA MVP, Embiid is eligible to play for Team USA under FIBA’s one naturalized (non-native) player rule. He opted for Team USA over two other prominent countries and will join an already star-studded U.S. Olympic team next summer.