Joel Embiid is the current NBA MVP, his 2022/2023 season recorded high-level numbers to obtain the distinguished award. However, The center of the Philadelphia 76ers has not debuted in the uniform of any national team. Despite having several options to choose from.
The 29-year-old basketball player born in Cameroonbut after demonstrating his talent at a basketball camp organized by former NBA player Luc Mbah a Moute, he was convinced to go to the United States at 16 to start his professional career.
In September 2022, and as an NBA star, Embiid became a US citizen. Just a few months before, she had also received French nationality through the descendant link of some relatives in the European country.
Joel Embiid with his NBA season MVP award / Getty Images
Given this panorama of Embiid and his three nationalities, the NBA star will have to decide with which team he will playsince the three have serious intentions of incorporating him into their squads to play the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024.
Clear intentions by USA Basketball
The team that has perhaps shown the most interest in joining Embiid’s ranks is the United States, a country in which he has lived for 13 years and where he currently plays. Even a few days ago Grant Hill, executive director of USA Basketball, told NBA Radio the clear intentions they have for the MVP to wear the Team USA uniform.
“The answer is simple. Yes, I talked to him. He has options”Hill said when asked if there was communication with Embiid. The player himself has commented on how good he feels in the American nation and when he obtained his nationality he revealed that: “I have been here for a long time. My son is American. I feel part of here. So I said, why not?
Cameroon already tried it and it was very close
If there is a team that was close to having Embiid in its ranks, it is that of Cameroon, it is the player’s native country and in 2017 he was called up to play the Afrobasket to be held in the Republic of Congo.
In the end, the 76ers player was unable to attend the tournament to represent his native Cameroon. On that occasion, the former player, and Embiid’s mentor, Luc Mbah a Moute had expressed how much he would like to see the MVP of the 2022/2023 season in the Cameroon uniform. “It would be great for our team, our country and for Joel.“.
Joel Embiid / Getty Images
France dreams of a luxury duo
The move by the French team in July 2022 to grant Embiid citizenship was with one goal in mind. That the star of the 76ers wears the French uniform for the 2024 Olympic Gameswhich will be in the French capital and that the European team will seek to win after the United States won 7 of the last 8 editions.
To achieve this, France wants to put together a dream duo with MVP Embiid at the helm and rookie sensation Victor Wembanyama at his side.
There is still just over a year left for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, so Joel Embiid still has time to choose the shirt he will wear in the sports fair, having three options from highly competitive countries in world basketball.
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2023-07-29 00:41:52
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