By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The clock is ticking for Joel Embiid who is still undecided about which national team he may represent in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At this point, he can choose to play for the USA, France, and also for Cameroon, which got a ticket for the pre-Olympic qualifiers.
It’s not a secret that the French basketball federation has approached him and speaking on the “Stephen Time show” on French radio station RMC, federation president Jean-Pierre Siutat revealed that he expects an answer by the 10th of October: “It will happen very quickly in all cases. We hope so and I think he knows it. We may have an answer by October 10. We have set this deadline.”
France after not a disappointing FIBA World Cup, is hosting the Olympics and aims for gold. So adding Embiid in the mix can end up being huge.
Still, Siutat is cautious: “We never communicated anything official about Joel Embiid. There was buzz created from everywhere, and I repeat that I want him to come. However, we made no communication about the fact that he was with us. Today, he is still not with us. We are working on it, we have a firm desire to do it. He knows it. We had the opportunity to discuss it with him and we are awaiting a decision. The American team is very interested in the idea of having him. Cameroon is qualified for the pre-Olympics. It’s a delicate situation for him.”
Per FIBA rules, Embiid can play as a naturalized player both for France and for the USA, having in both cases citizenship. Of course, he can also play for his native Cameroon. So far, Embiid hasn’t played for any national team during his basketball career and that’s why he is permitted to have this choice.