OT: Olympic Games Basketball

[emunney]

I haven't seen enough thinkpieces on why Embiid consistently looks like the worst player on Team USA.

Seems to me to be a KD to the Warriors level decision to play for Team USA. Wasn't he born in Cameroon? Didn't he get French citizenship?

The decision is similarly cynical but KD did win Finals MVP twice.

[MickeyDavis]

Embiid has 3 citizenships and went with the one with the best chance at gold. Hence getting heckled in France.

[Ron Swanson]

I'll defend Embiid in the sense that:

1) Cameroon obviously wasn't sniffing the Olympics with that roster (he's 30 and probably thinks this is his last shot at a medal)
2) He's literally never lived in France
3) He's now spent half of his life (and his entire adult life) as an American citizen

But I especially don't understand French people booing him (there's some weird/ugly imperialist overtones here if you understand the history of France and Cameroon).

[Beorn]

He definitely did a KD, but on an international level which makes it even more funny

Last couple of years he was rumored to dress for France, but since their NT mainstays are old now and the team is mediocre, he jumped ship at the opportunity to get an Olympics medal playing for the surefire favorites.

To most of us is the equivalent of MJ joining Monstars in free agency (yes, that's how everyone else sees the US in basketball, I don't care if u find it offensive )

[Prez]

Embiid is out of shape and/or hobbled (shocker), but it’s also jarring A) how poorly he’s responded to not getting the same nonsense whistle he gets in the NBA and B) not having the processing speed to make quick reads on a team where he’s surrounded by star level players and he’s not the focal point.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

I'll defend Embiid in the sense that:

1) Cameroon obviously wasn't sniffing the Olympics with that roster (he's 30 and probably thinks this is his last shot at a medal)
2) He's literally never lived in France
3) He's now spent half of his life (and his entire adult life) as an American citizen

But I especially don't understand French people booing him (there's some weird/ugly imperialist overtones here if you understand the history of France and Cameroon).

I know the history. I don't think that's the case at all.

Embiid either went out of his way to lie about only playing for France to get citizenship or he is the type of person to so blatantly go back on his word after writing something like this to the sitting president. If embiid never wrote this and never said he had a desire to play for the French team, I highly doubt anyone in France would be booing him.

Reports of a letter Embiid sent to French President Emmanuel Macron have surfaced, in which Embiid is alleged to have said, “I wish to take steps to obtain French naturalization and thus be able to be selected with the Blues. I therefore do not wish to play for any other national team.”

[KidA24]

I'll defend Embiid in the sense that:

1) Cameroon obviously wasn't sniffing the Olympics with that roster (he's 30 and probably thinks this is his last shot at a medal)
2) He's literally never lived in France
3) He's now spent half of his life (and his entire adult life) as an American citizen

But I especially don't understand French people booing him (there's some weird/ugly imperialist overtones here if you understand the history of France and Cameroon).

The French hate everything, why should Embiid be any different?

[Plossum]

God I hope we beat Canada tonight. They’ve somehow become the lob city version of international basketball.

[Fotis St]

We are playing right now ... 1st half ended ... Greeks down 14 ... Spanoulis is a terrible coach as well ... Why is Calathes still our point guard ? Spanouliiiiiiiiiiiiiiìiiiiiiiiiiiiis BENCH CALATHES FOREVER.

[Nightfall]

The whole 2nd Q Giannis was watching guards bricking long shots...

[Fotis St]

I am so sick of the Greek Di(&heads

BENCH CALATHES YOU @^@^@%%@%@%@%!^!

[Fotis St]

My brain explodes watching Spain playing zone and Spanoulis keeps playing Calathes... Just awful coaching

[Matches Malone]

Giannis won't let Greece go out. Just clawing back.

[Matches Malone]

He's going finals mode just trying to keep his team close. Someone on Greece needs to step up.

Read on Twitter

[blazza18]

The Greek offense is a mess. Giannis a bit lazy on the other end and that might just do it.

[Fotis St]

FU Calathes
FU Spanoulis

[Matches Malone]

Spain just dominating the boards down the stretch. Nobody on Greece can stay in front of their man or grab a defensive rebound.

[Matches Malone]

Classic Giannis taking a terrible 3.

[blazza18]

Damn damn damn. Right play I think but yeah…

[Turk Nowitzki]

I would assume a loss here pretty much eliminates Greece from advancing?