The Philadelphia 76ers big man has been a constant at the Paris Olympics headlines for all the wrong reasons. First, Joel Embiid didn’t seem to be a perfect fit for Team USA’s overpowered roster, as he has yet to make a sound mark. On the other hand, the 30-year-old also received constant ‘boos’ from the French fans at the Olympics. Notably, Embiid has a French passport. Must be confusing, right? He has a French passport but plays for the United States. What if I tell you, he can also play for his home country, Cameroon?

Yes, you read every single word right.

Embiid is probably the most privileged player in the basketball realm to have access to play for three different countries on the big stage. But, to answer the title question, Joel Embiid is from Yaoundé, Cameroon, in Central Africa.

The former MVP basketball journey began in Cameroon before it branched out big in the States. Up until he turned 15, Embiid never really picked a basketball. The Sixers star himself has claimed multiple times to like soccer more. Even in a recent podcast, he said, “People have asked me that what would I rather be the best soccer player or the best basketball player… Is not even close, the best soccer player. Not even close.” 

Nevertheless, the future had something else in store for him. In no time, he became a prime basketball prospect from Africa. He learned the art from some of the best coaches in the country. Joe Touomou at the NBA Academy, Africa, shaped into a lethal weapon before he took the flight to the USA. Speaking of his student, Touomou said, “[Embiid] was 17, and he was raw.”

However, it was Luc Mbah A Moute, a former NBA player, who identified his talent and flew him to the land of dreams.

How did Joel Embiid get citizenship from France?

After moving to the US, emerged as a five-star recruit, after playing for two high schools and a college season in Kansas. And in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers drafted him as the 3rd pick. And he has been in the City of Brotherly Love since then. While Team Cameroon’s qualification for the Olympics remained uncertain throughout, Embiid never really had the opportunity to represent his country.

However, in 2022, the big man could play on the big stage when France came forward to offer him citizenship. Notably, Embiid foreshadowed the France episode back in 2021. When the French side broke Team USA’s 25-game winning streak in the Tokyo Olympics, he penned a post on X that read, “Allez les Bleus.” It was indeed a grand dream to witness Joel Embiid, Rudy Gobert, and Victor Wembanyama on the same team. They offered him a naturalized citizenship status in 2022 despite not living in France.

Boris Diaw, the general manager of the French national team, speaking of the passport saga, said, “Joel came to us and said that he wanted to play international basketball, he said he wanted to win, and he said he wanted to play for France and he wanted to win with France… So we listened to him.” Ironically, Embiid didn’t play a single game for France after the offer.

How did Embiid end up with Team USA?

In September 2022, the Cameroonian star announced that he had become an American citizen following the birth of his son. Moreover, he also committed to play for Team USA in the Paris Olympics, leaving the French fans in fury.

Speaking of his decision, Embiid said, “It was not easy. I am blessed to call Cameroon, France, and the USA home. After talking to my family, I knew it had to be Team USA. I want to play with my brothers in the league.” It certainly didn’t have a positive impact on the star. He received a lot of boos from all directions.

Some even spun rumors regarding Team USA’s “Under the Table” dealings to stop Embiid from teaming up with French Twin Towers for the Paris Olympics. Nevertheless, Embiid definitely seemed happy about joining the US side.

Hilariously, Tyrese Haliburton attempted to pull the big man’s legs at the Olympics’ opening ceremony parade, when he pointed the camera at Embiid and said, “Give your passport back.” Taking the joke sportively, Embiid waved the American flag with a smile and said, “I’m American, man.” Of course, it’s Embiid’s wish to pick a country to represent, and he stood by his decision.

Do you think Embiid will prove everyone wrong and make a strong comeback in the tournament? Let us know in the comments below.

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