NBA Insider has claimed that USA Basketball are trying to coerce Joel Embiid away from France for international games after Embiid got an American citizenship.
Joel Embiid recently made the news after he switched to American citizenship in recent days. The Philadelphia 76ers center is a Cameroonian-born basketball player who was born in France and hence also holds French citizenship. However, his recent switch to American citizenship courtesy of playing in the country for so long has Embiid’s services quite in demand.
Born in Cameroon, Embiid officially became a French citizen earlier in the summer as “a foreigner whose naturalization is of exceptional interest”, and was being reported to star for the French team at the recently concluded EuroBasket 2022 tournament. However, things did not quite work out – and before we knew it, Embiid got himself American citizenship as well.
The five time All Star was sworn in as an American citizen in Philadelphia a week ago, and gave his own thoughts on the switch in nationality. “I’ve been here for a long time,” Embiid told The Associated Press last week. “My son is American. I felt like, I’m living here and it’s a blessing to be an American. So I said, why not?”
Following the switch, Embiid now has Team USA fighting for his services according to sources.
What did the NBA Insider have to claim about the war over Embiid’s services?
The NBA Insider revealed that the 28-year-old is a man in demand, with both France and USA fighting over his services for their nation.
Embiid, yet to represent France, could well be on his way to representing the American basketball team and reportedly would love to have his services. After all, Embiid is one of the top centers in the game right now, and even led the NBA on scoring last season – the first center to do so since Shaquille O’Neal himself and the first foreigner to do so. However, that could change soon.
Regardless of where his international future lies, Embiid seems locked and loaded for the new season. “I just want to be healthy and win a championship and go from there,” Embiid told AP, and this would sound like music to the Sixers’ fans’ ears – this could finally be Philly’s year.
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• What was Joel Embiid’s nationality before he became a US citizen?
• Joel Embiid finally switches nationality as he becomes US citizen
