Sixers’ Joel Embiid to play for Team USA in the Paris Olympics after making ‘tough’ decision

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Joel Embiid will be part of Team USA basketball’s latest version of the Dream Team.

The 76ers center informed USA Basketball’s managing director, Grant Hill, Thursday morning that he intends to play for the national team next summer in the 2024 Paris Olympics. Team USA is also expected to receive commitments from other star-studded players, including Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Devon Booker.

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Embiid’s decision came after the reigning league MVP met with Hill at the Sixers’ team hotel Wednesday.

The 29-year-old six-time All-Star chose Team USA over France and his native Cameroon. Cameroon is close to qualifying for the 2024 Olympics but has not done so yet.

“It was tough, obviously,” Embiid said of his decision. “I love all three options with my home country, which I love a lot. But I really wanted to participate in the Olympics. That’s been my goal and my dream.”

Another deciding factor was that his son, Arthur, is an American. In the past few years, every decision he’s made has centered around family.

“And how many chances do you get a chance to represent a country like the U.S.?” Embiid said.

But he tried to take as much time as possible to make his decision. USA Basketball and France have been recruiting him for over a year, and France had finally given him an Oct. 10 deadline to make a decision.

“It was kind of made hard by the deadline that was put,” Embiid said. “But I’m happy with it.”

Wednesday’s meeting with Hill, along with a recent conversation with representatives from the French national team, enabled Embiid to make sure he made the right decision.

USA Basketball became hopeful that Embiid would opt to play for the team in the Paris Olympics after he became a United States citizen on Sept. 29, 2022. But Embiid, who also gained French citizenship in July 2022, could have decided to play for the host country.

In July, Hill was asked on SiriusXM NBA Radio if he had talked with Embiid.

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“I’ll just answer it with a simple answer, and that’s yes, I’ve talked to him,” Hill said. “Look, he has options. He’s a great player. But he’s also somebody that we talked to about next summer. You know, we’ll see. We’ll see how that plays out.”

Before Embiid gained U.S. citizenship, it was widely believed that he would play for France in the Olympics. After his decision was released, New Yorks Knicks guard Evan Fournier, a member of French national team, tweeted “Fierté, #ENSEMBLE” with French flag gif. Fierté means Pride in French.