Joel Embiid could change nationality to play in the France team, compared
Like hurt 76ers Star Joel Embiid continues to rehabilitate for a return to this year’s NBA playoffs, the MVP candidate is said to be reassessing his Olympic ambitions outside of the game.
Embiid, a native Cameroonian who has family in France, plans to change his nationality in order to play for the French team at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, according to a report by French media RMC Sport. The 28-year-old has never participated in an international competition.
According to FIBA, each team is allowed one naturalized player on its roster; In the current state of things, France does not have a player who meets this criterion.
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If Embiid, the reigning NBA scoring champion, manages to get naturalized, he will join a tough roster that pushed the United States to its limits in Tokyo last summer. Headlined by Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier, France beat the United States in the group stage. The two teams met again in the gold medal match and France narrowly lost 87–82.
While the French team eagerly awaits the next steps, the local Embiid team in the United States will continue to do the same regarding another matter following their injury in the first round against the Raptors.
The 76ers, who open Round 2 on the road Monday night, are hoping the All-Star big man returns in either Game 3 of 4 in their series against the No. 1 seed Heat. Embiid suffered an orbital fracture and a mild concussion in Game 6 closing against Toronto.
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