*Update: Embiid commits to Team USA* (France gives Embiid til Oct 10th to commit)

[NoDopeOnSundays]

https://youtu.be/35pfllMiLag?si=mtNkRiz213CcKWBt



No longer weak at center, we're taking the gold.

[levon]

Now we get injury insurance for Anthony Davis, who is injury insurance for Joel Embiid

[___Rand___]

Biid knows this is the only way he'd beat Joker and win something. I hope Jokic smoke his butt in Olympics too.

[Cubbies2120]

The choices are:
1. Easy gold medal where you have to put in zero effort yourself [USA]
2. A difficult road with France, where you'd be the face of the team but also take backlash when you shrink in the biggest stage [France]
3. Playing for your country, with no expectations of winning, but going out and competing to make your country proud [Cameroon]

I can see why he took choice #1 tbh. He's tired of getting (rightly) scrutinized for shrinking in the biggest moments.

[adubmac]

When has Joel ever not chose the path of least resistance? This is another reminder that he'll never win a ring as the the #1 guy - he just doesn't have it in him.

[KokoKaizer]

The choices are:
1. Easy gold medal where you have to put in zero effort yourself [USA]
2. A difficult road with France, where you'd be the face of the team but also take backlash when you shrink in the biggest stage [France]
3. Playing for your country, with no expectations of winning, but going out and competing to make your country proud [Cameroon]

I can see why he took choice #1 tbh. He's tired of getting (rightly) scrutinized for shrinking in the biggest moments.

Maybe that's just me, but I would go nr.3

[ReasonablySober]

As if the Olympics could mean any less.

So stupid.

[phanman]

Kind of pathetic. Play for your own **** country man.

Cameroon might not have a ton of talent, but with Siakam / Embiid / Koloko / Mbah a Moute they have 4 quality guys right there.

What joy do you get out of joining a stacked countries team? Pathetic.

I mean both Pascal and Koloko have never played for their national team, Luc is most likely retired and they haven't even qualified for the Olympics yet. Considering that the last qualification tournament is occurring early 2024, there is a high likelihood that they won't even get into the Olympics.

So a toss-up between France and USA is an easy choice. France has both Gobert and Wemby at his position and USA has a gaping hole. His primary competition in Bam and JJJ are just a bit too small for the national game and AD most likely will sit out.

Plus he moved to the USA when he was 16.... he's 29 now. That is nearly half his life and entire adulthood in the US. He just as American as he is Cameroonian currently.

[JB2]

I hate this. Terrible look for both Team USA and Embiid, IMO. US has such a surplus of talent compared to every other country and yet we recruit a non US born player to represent the country? Embarrassing. And for Embiid, no pride in your own nation? No willing to put them on your back and see what happens? Perennial loser, Troel.

AD, Bam, Zion, Draymond, JJJ, Kessler... plenty of guy to have built a great center rotation with.

Pathetic move for all parties.

[Tor_Raps]

Not a super huge fan of naturalizations but Embiid has spent half his life in the US, including almost his entire basketball career and became a citizen last year. I'll take it.

You can say the same thing about almost every star in the nba since almost every team is based there. You don't see Giannis/Luka/Jokic/SGA switching from their country to the US because of this. Weak move from a weak dude.

[Sgt Major]

What a clown.

[Bank Shot]

Dumb. Probably won't be healthy enough to actually play though.

[liquidswords]

lol the hate is flowing in this thread....Embiid starts and AD backs up. Bam have a nice vacation

[Roger Murdock]

Man some tough takes here….

1. Embiid is an American. He’s lived here most of his life. It’s his home. Embiid is basically the American dream personified - immigrant who moved here for opportunity, found it, and capitalized. He personifies the good qualities of what America is supposed to be about.

2. We need a big man and he’s a perfect fit for the roster

3. Most importantly - this is absolutely the right call for Embiid and his career. The disconnect between his talent level and his ‘winning mentality’ is massive, part is on him; but part is on the 76ers. He was drafted by a losing organization that made losing the objective. He’s been coddled his entire career. He’s been surrounded by softies and losers. He’s had minimal positive vet influence through his career. He’s had poor coaching. The ‘best players’ he’s been paired with are Simmons and Harden who are the mentally weakest players in the NBA and have loser mentalities.

It’s not too late for Embiid to mature and become the beast he was supposed to be. We’ve seen what positive influences like Kobe, Duncan, KG, Jordan, etc have had one some of the less mature stars of the past. He’s going to be playing with Curry and LeBron for christs sake - those are the PERFECT role models for Embiid.

For the first time in his NBA career he’s going to be part of a winning culture. It’s not too late for him. Embiid has the talent to be a title winning big man but it’s never going to happen for him w/ status quo.

[ItsDanger]

Was kind of hoping he wouldn't play for either France or US. Seems like taking advantage of a wide open loophole. Thumbs down.

[NoDopeOnSundays]

. US has such a surplus of talent compared to every other country and yet we recruit a non US born player to represent the country?

He's an American citizen and almost his entire basketball development took place here. It's only right he repays his second home with helping us get gold, also the anger from people on here will be well worth it.

[levon]

lol the hate is flowing in this thread....Embiid starts and AD backs up. Bam have a nice vacation

I don't think either is going to back up one another. If there's a conflict, it'll probably be resolved by health status. If you go based on gaudy stats and being boisterous, Joel should start. If you go by actual postseason success, AD should start.

[azcatz11]

lol the hate is flowing in this thread....Embiid starts and AD backs up. Bam have a nice vacation

I don't think it's hate so to speak. More so is that gold medal going to mean anything for a player who isn't playing for his home country?

I mentioned this earlier - maybe there are extenuating circumstances we're not aware of with Cameroon. But I can speak for myself, I'd want to play for my home country and not be a mercenary.

On the surface - this appears to be a lame attempt at a medal grab to boost his legacy

[Sedale Threatt]

Not a super huge fan of naturalizations but Embiid has spent half his life in the US, including almost his entire basketball career and became a citizen last year. I'll take it.

You can say the same thing about almost every star in the nba since almost every team is based there. You don't see Giannis switching from Greece to the US because of this. Weak move from a weak dude.

Giannis was almost 19 and had already played professionally when he came over. Embiid was around 16, in the middle of high school, and had barely picked up a basketball before. I get that people are going to cry about this; I'm not an especially huge fan. But there's a massive difference between those two.

[Movics]

When has Joel ever not chose the path of least resistance?

Are you suggesting France would’ve been the most fitting choice?