As Team USA boarded the ferry for the opening ceremony, the basketball team was more than excited to witness the Olympic vibe in Paris. A lot of the players including Steph, Joel Embiid, Edwards, and others are making their first Olympic appearance. LeBron James, on the other hand, leading the Americans as the flag bearer, is participating in the Olympics for the fourth time. Out of all, Joel Embiid seemed very excited and shared his insights on his very first Olympic appearance representing the States.

But, while the 30-year-old Cameroonian-American was talking about his experience in an interview, James and Anthony Davis interrupted him mid-way. “You know, having a family, and being here half of my life, so you know it just made a lot of sense. Then obviously this group of guys, I’ve known them for a long time man. We are feeling extremely comfortable and like I said…” This was when LeBron interrupted him and Embiid laughed it off. Anthony Davis also joined in – showing the chemistry and friendship within the team.

Embiid has taken a lot of negativity during the exhibition games. It has come to a point where Steve Kerr is heavily blamed for his decision to add Embiid to the starting lineup. He met the expectations in the last game, however, the center doesn’t seem to be coping with the international standards. It is great to see him excited and happy ahead of the first group stage game. But then again, the stakes are much higher this time with no room for error.

Embiid will have much more responsibility on his shoulders as USA’s first game approaches. The Sixers star will have to give his all in the paint, and hopefully, he will avoid drawing fouls often.

Joel Embiid will look to answer the detractors

Given his past in the league and his recent performance, Embiid has received a lot of backlash lately. However, this time, he has the right teammates around him and a coach who only sees him as a starter. This is his chance to prove the detractors wrong. Team USA will be looking to set a tone from the first game itself. Fans are aware that the Americans won’t have it easy this time around, as there’s no denying that the international competition has caught up in the last few years.

Embiid knows the intensity the other teams bring to the table and while he is excited to witness the Olympics, the Cameroonian is also looking forward to USA’s first game against Serbia, which, by no means, will be easy. But, the good thing is that the Americans know they have some serious competition ahead of them. What are your thoughts on Embiid’s recent form? How well do you think he’ll play against Serbia? Let us know in the comments.

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