Joel Embiid officially obtains French citizenship ahead of Olympics
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has officially obtained French nationality today, which is a step closer to him being able to represent France in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
So just a heads up Rudy Gobert, that starting center spot of yours is about to be in jeopardy.
Joel Embiid applied for French citizenship when he was forced to miss games due to injury in the Miami Heat playoff series.
Joel Embiid was born and raised in Cameroon, a French-speaking country, but has never played for Cameroon’s national team. A French squad headlined by Joel Embiid could be serious trouble for the United States. In Tokyo, the French team handed the U.S. team its first defeat since 2004.
Swapping Joel Embiid for Rudy Gobert in France’s starting lineup is huge. Embiid is just as good defensively and he’s the reigning scoring champ in the NBA. Besides the two all-NBA centers on France, they had four other NBA players on their team, including Nicolas Batum, Evan Fournier, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Frank Ntilikina.
The French team already challenges for Olympic medals, and adding him to an already quality roster can only increase parity on the international stage.
Sportsbook Offers
Mandatory Credit: Associated Press
