Joel Embiid faced a hostile crowd this summer at the Paris Olympics, being relentlessly booed by French fans because Embiid chose to represent the USA instead of France at the Olympics. The boos Embiid was subjected to raised eyebrows amongst his teammate, with Embiid explaining to a puzzled Devin Booker why he’s treated like this.
Devin Booker: “Why are they booing you, bruh?”
Joel Embiid: “Because they hate me, I don’t know.”
Devin Booker: “Why are they booing you, bruh?”
Joel Embiid: “Because they hate me, I don’t know.” 😂
(via @DevinBook / IG)pic.twitter.com/tG0xvFhdAZ
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 22, 2024
The poor fan reception for Embiid was noticed by more of his Team USA teammates, with Anthony Edwards questioning why the French team are upset that Embiid didn’t declare for them when they already have two centers like Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama on the team.
“I don’t know what is going on. I don’t know why he gets booed all the time. But you got Wemby and Rudy; why would he play with y’all? Wemby and Rudy, what more do y’all want? You want three 7-footers?”
Even LeBron James weighed in on the situation, offering the team’s support to Embiid during that tough time.
“We are all on Jo’s side. Jo’s in great spirits, we’re all in great spirits, and as his 11 teammates, we just give him the support that he needs both on the floor and off the floor if needed.”
All’s well that ends well, with the USA winning the Gold by defeating France itself in the Final. Embiid averaged 11.2 points over the Olympics and is already planning to play for a new country at the 2028 Olympics, if allowed.
This interaction was captured by Booker, who shared his perspective on the Paris Olympics on his Instagram with a video titled ‘I’ll Do It,’ referencing his viral tweet to Kyle Kuzma last year after Kuzma requested star NBA players to accept being role-players for the national team.
Joel Embiid Didn’t Hide From Booing Fans
It’s clear that the fan hate ended up motivating Embiid to do better. He looked nearly unplayable throughout the pre-tournament exhibition games and was even given a DNP when the USA played the rebound-heavy South Sudan national team. Otherwise, he has mostly been a starter and engaged with fans at almost every opportunity.
Embiid triumphantly declared that all French fans can ‘suck it’ after the USA booked their spot in the Final to face the French national team. The 2023 NBA MVP also revealed that he didn’t feel welcome with the French team.
“It was a tough decision, but it is all about comfort level, and as I said, I’ve known these guys (Team USA players) for a long time and I just felt more comfortable than on the other side (France). There was some concern with the other side… The comfort level was huge. I always say I’m going to be where I’m wanted and these guys wanted me.”
The French fans clearly wanted Embiid, as indicated by their reaction every time they saw the center. Given how even Rudy Gobert lost his minutes for underperforming, maybe it’s best both Embiid and France stayed on opposite sides then hope to team up and win.
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