At the World Cup in Manilla this summer, Team USA finished fourth in part because it was ill-equipped to handle the physicality of the international game in the paint, rebound, and to consistently protect the rim (especially if Jaren Jackson Jr. was not on the floor).
Not anymore — Joel Embiid has told USA Basketball that he will represent America at the Paris Olympics next summer, choosing the USA over host France and his native Cameroon, a story broken by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
Joel Embiid, the NBA’s reigning Most Valuable Player, has committed to play for Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
Embiid informed Team USA executive director Grant Hill of his decision on Thursday morning, sources said, just days after the two… pic.twitter.com/W2dfW71aMs
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) October 5, 2023
Embiid is expected to be joined by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo, Devin Booker and a host of other top-flight NBA talent on Team USA next summer (exactly who will ultimately depend on health and how deep those stars end up playing into the postseason). The USA needs all that talent to mask its cohesion issues.
It also could in part be a basketball decision for Embiid. He is needed on Team USA to fill a hole in the roster, playing for France would mean sharing time with Rudy Gobert at the five and Victor Wembanyama in whatever role he ends up being used for (he’s not a traditional five but defensively will want to be in the paint). Cameroon has not yet qualified for the Paris Olympics, it will have to come out of one of the pre-Olympic qualifying tournaments next summer (which the African nation would be more likely to do with Embiid on the court, but there is no easy path out of those stacked tournaments).
Whatever the reason, executive director Grant Hill, coach Steve Kerr, and the rest of USA Basketball have to be celebrating today — Team USA just got a lot better for the Paris Olympics, which start next July.