Joel Embiid got heckled by civilians on arrival in Paris

Joel Embiid Faces Backlash from French Fans After Choosing Team USA

Joel Embiid did not receive a warm welcome in France on Wednesday. The 7-foot Philadelphia 76ers star chose to represent the United States over France for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, leading to French fans heckling him as he walked to a Team USA bus. Shouts of “Give back your passport” and “You should have played for France” were heard among the crowd.

Embiid, originally from Cameroon—a former French colony—received his French passport in 2022 and had shown interest in playing for France in the Olympics. With a formidable frontcourt already featuring Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert, adding Embiid would have significantly strengthened the French team.

However, Embiid, now 30, decided a few months later to join Team USA in their quest for a fifth consecutive gold medal after becoming an American citizen. He explained the difficulty of his decision, stating, “The decision was tough. Obviously, I got my home country, Cameroon, which I love, and the U.S., where I’ve been for 14 years now, and then France, where I have a lot of family. I kind of felt rushed in that decision.”

The decision sparked discontent outside the United States. In March, French basketball president Jean-Pierre Siutat criticized Embiid’s choice, suggesting it was an easy route to an Olympic medal. “Team USA, with him, who can beat you? Come on, nobody,” Siutat told The Athletic.

Despite Siutat’s remarks, Team USA’s early performances haven’t been consistently gold-medal-worthy. In their first five scrimmages, they faced challenges, including a close game against South Sudan, who were 43 ½-point underdogs and limited Team USA to 25 percent shooting from three-point range.

Embiid has struggled as well, appearing rusty after numerous injuries last season. However, he showed improvement in the USA’s final warmup game, scoring in a 92-88 victory over Germany. “People who watch me know that every season it takes me a couple of games to get going, and this is no different,” Embiid told ESPN. “That’s the reason we’ve got preseason games. I feel like myself and I’m going to keep going and I’m going to be playing at that MVP level I’ve played for the last five or six seasons.”

In addition to shooting woes, Team USA’s defense was tested, with Australia scoring 68 points in the paint and forcing 18 turnovers. The American team, filled with superstars, will need to prove their mettle as they start Olympic group play against Serbia and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic on Sunday.