While the Philadelphia 76ers have been stacking up their roster this summer, Joel Embiid was also doing some work of his own. The MVP runner-up recently got dual citizenship in France, opening up the door for him to compete on the Olympic stage.
Shortly after this news, speculation began to swirl on if the All-Star center would join the french national team in the 2024 Olympics in Paris. Some of the notable names on the roster currently include Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, Nicolas Batum, and 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama. In the last summer games, Team France won the silver medal after falling short against Team USA.
During a recent interview with L’Equipe, former NBA champion and general manager of the French national team Boris Diaw opened up on Embiid possibly playing in the next Olympics. He stated that the Sixers star would have joined the team this summer for EuroBasket if he wasn’t recovering from a hand injury.
We know that he’s still waiting for the French passport. When he obtains it, then he can start the process and apply for a FIBA license for the national team, continued Diaw.
He would’ve liked to play this summer if he hadn’t been injured. But he underwent hand surgery and didn’t return to basketball, Diaw revealed.
Embiid is fresh off a season in which he posted career-highs in both points (30.6) and assists (4.2) per game. He also became the first center since Shaq in 2000 to win the NBA’s scoring title.
Hilarious Joel Embiid Clip Resurfaces
Since getting drafted by the Sixers, Joel Embiid has always embraced the city of Philadelphia like a second home. In the early years of his career, he was often seen interacting with fans at various locations across the city.
Recently, one of Embiid’s most hilarious clips regarding fan interaction resurfaced. While joining in on a pickup game at a playground in South Philly, he bounced a ball off a guy’s head and then proceeded to throw down a windmill slam.
Joel Embiid really bounced the ball off his face 😂
(via @RobDauster)
As seen by the excitement on all of the guy’s faces, Embiid gave them a moment they are sure to never forget.
Analyst Fears Sixers Signing Could Age Poorly
It has been a very busy offseason for Daryl Morey and the Sixers’ front office. Along with acquiring De’Anthony Melton in a draft night trade, they signed multiple depth pieces right at the start of free agency. Among those moves was bringing in veteran forward P.J. Tucker on a three-year, $33 million deal.
While Tucker brings defensive toughness and outside shooting, the team gave out a handsome payday to one of the league’s oldest players. Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz picked this signing as one NBA offseason move that could age poorly three years from now.
With most players in their 40s playing on veteran minimum deals (for the few that actually make it this far in the league of course), Tucker will still be raking in a hefty salary. Even Michael Jordan earned just $1 million in his last season—which started at age 39 and ended at age 40—a salary Tucker will make 11 times as much roughly 20 years later at the same age.
This contract will look just fine now but will inevitably turn into a significant overpay by the end.
Tucker played 71 games for the Miami Heat last season and averaged 7.6 PPG and 5.5 RPG while shooting 41.5% from beyond the arc.
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Sixers Star Joel Embiid Eyeing Olympic Competition