- Joel Embiid joined Team USA after talking to his family
- Embiid noted that he wants to honor his son Arthur, who was born in the United States
- The superstar helps address the team’s weaknesses
Center Joel Embiid recently committed to Team USA, despite being eligible to suit up for France or Cameroon on the international stage. Embiid will join a talented Team USA 2024 Olympics squad, who are seeking to avenge Team USA’s loss in the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
Recently, we saw the superstar explain why he made the decision to join Team USA. He noted that he wants to play with his “brothers” from the NBA, but added that the main reason he chose Team USA is to honor his son Arthur, who was born in the United States.
“I’m really proud and excited about this decision. It was not easy. I am blessed to call Cameroon, France, and the USA home. After talking to my family, I knew it had to be Team USA. I want to play with my brothers in the league. I want to play for my fans because they’ve been incredible since the day I came here. But most of all, I want to honor my son who was born in the US. I want my boy to know I played my first Olympics for him.”
I’m really proud and excited about this decision. It was not easy. I am blessed to call Cameroon, France, and the USA home. After talking to my family, I knew it had to be Team USA. I want to play with my brothers in the league. I want to play for my fans because they’ve… pic.twitter.com/6VHSQTKVl3
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) October 5, 2023
There is no doubt that this is sound reasoning from Joel Embiid in terms of deciding to pick an international team. Team USA is certainly lucky to have a player of his caliber, and his skill set can certainly help the squad.
This past season, Joel Embiid averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 54.8% from the field. The big man is one of the best scorers in the NBA, winning the scoring title in 2022 and 2023.
Team USA Needs Joel Embiid’s Skill Set
Getting Joel Embiid to commit to the team was a coup for the United States. They needed exactly what he provided, and previously, we saw NBA analyst Chris Mannix explain why Team USA needs Joel Embiid.
“Team USA has two glaring problems. There’s defense: It surrendered 110 points to Lithuania. Another 113 to Germany. Canada blitzed the U.S. for 127. Size is a problem. More specifically, a lack of it. The U.S. played without Paolo Banchero and Jaren Jackson Jr. on Sunday, but even at full strength, the U.S. is woefully small. The U.S. needs help. It needs Joel Embiid.”
It will be interesting to see if coach Steve Kerr decides to start Joel Embiid in the future. He certainly addresses some of the weaknesses Team USA showed in the FIBA World Cup, and starting him seems to be a no-brainer from a talent standpoint.
LeBron James May Have Played A Role In Joel Embiid Playing For Team USA
There is no doubt that LeBron James has connections with a lot of players around the league, and it seems as though Joel Embiid is among those players. Recently, James hinted that he played a part in recruiting Embiid to Team USA during an interaction with a reporter.
It is clear that James does not want the country to lose on the international stage once again. He is doing whatever is necessary to ensure the team is stacked with talent by the 2024 Olympics, and thus far he has clearly been successful.
Hopefully, we see Team USA get the gold medal in 2024. Anything less would be a disappointment for the whole country, and they certainly have the talent to achieve that goal.
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