In high demand, Joel Embiid keeps focus on Sixers’ season — not playing for France or U.S. in FIBA World Cup

SALT LAKE CITY — Joel Embiid keeps avoiding the question.

The 76ers center was, once again, asked after Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game if he has decided to play for the United States or France in this summer’s FIBA World Cup in Asia.

“I’m focused on the season,” Embiid said in response. “We have a long season ahead, second half of the season. Once I get there, the main goal is to win. That’s what my focus is: Go out and do whatever it takes to try to accomplish that goal to win a championship. So, like I said, that’s where I’m focused.”

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But the six-time All-Star does have a decision to make that could alter the landscape of international basketball.

The USA Basketball men’s team became hopeful that Embiid, a native of Cameroon, would opt to play for it in the 2024 Paris Olympics after becoming a United States citizen on Sept. 29. But Embiid, who also gained French citizenship in July, could play for France, the host country.

France is hopeful that he’ll choose to do the latter, said French national team coach Vincent Collet this summer.

Before Embiid gained his U.S. citizenship, it was widely believed that he would play for France in the Olympics and possibly in the World Cup.

He must eventually declare a choice to FIBA, the sport’s international governing body, in order to play in the Olympics and/or the World Cup, which is scheduled to take place from Aug. 25-Sept. 10 in Indonesia, Japan, and the Philippines.

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The French team will likely feature NBA players Evan Fournier, Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum, and former Sixer Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, along with 19-year-old French pro Victor Wembanyama, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft.

But being an American citizen gives Embiid the inside track to winning an Olympic gold medal. The United States has won gold in each of the last four Olympic Games. France is the reigning Olympic silver medalist after losing to the U.S. in 2021 final in Tokyo. With Embiid on the roster, France would be a daunting opponent for the U.S.

Embiid’s response, which came after he scored 32 points in Team LeBron’s 184-175 loss to Team Giannis, appeared to be the perfect way to avoid a hot topic on a night when he and other All-Stars were being celebrated. But he was right about the importance of being locked in during the stretch following the All-Star break.

“I think, historically, or at least since I’ve been in the league, the team that has kind of clicked in this last stretch has peaked and played their best of the season going into the playoffs usually is the team that wins it all,” said Boston Celtics All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, a sixth-year veteran. “So this stretch is important.

“You want to be as healthy as possible going into the playoffs. You want to be playing your best basketball, individually and as a group.”

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So that’s what the Sixers, Celtics, and other teams are trying to do.

Right now, the Sixers (38-19) are third in the East, three games behind the first-place Celtics (42-17), with 25 games left. The second-place Milwaukee Bucks (41-17) are the league’s hottest team, having won 12 straight.

Still, Embiid’s decision on which country he will play for could remain an international topic, a decision he may not share publicly until the Sixers’ final postseason game has been played.