Joel Embiid On Joining Team USA for the 2024 Olympics: “I Want My Boy to Know I Played My First Olympics For Him”

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has decided that he will play for Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris and the reason is simple; family.

On Thursday, Embiid, who qualifies for three national teams, ended speculation about which nation's team he would join; confirming late Thursday - following multiple reports - he will be part of Team USA.

In a statement posted to X (formerly known as Twitter), Embiid explained his decision.

"I’m really proud and excited about this decision. It was not easy. I am blessed to call Cameroon, France, and the USA home," Embiid wrote. "After talking to my family, I knew it had to be Team USA."

Embiid said that he wanted to play for the fans, and for his "brothers in the league." Several high-profile NBA veterans — including LeBron James, Jayson Tatum, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant — have already committed or showed interest in playing for Team USA next summer.

However, he said, the biggest reason was his son.

"But most of all, I want to honor my son who was born in the US. I want my boy to know I played my first Olympics for him," Embiid wrote in the statement.

The statement echoes what Embiid said to reporters after practice on Thursday, calling the decision "tough."

"I've really wanted to participate in the Olympics, that's been a goal and a dream of mine," he said. "You add that with the fact that my son is American, and I've been here for such a long time. I feel like for the past few years since he's been born, every decision is just based on family."

Embiid qualifies for the Cameroon, France and U.S. national teams, as he was born in Cameroon and holds both French and U.S. citizenship. As a result, there was much speculation in recent weeks over which option he would choose.

Embiid informed USA executive director Grant Hill of his decision on Thursday morning. The two reportedly met for over an hour earlier in the week. Next summer will be his first Olympics, assuming that he is selected for the team.

Embiid, the reigning NBA MVP, will be a strong addition to the steadily rising number of veterans joining Team USA, which typically depends on young, up-and-coming talent to make up its roster. The increasingly beefed-up roster catapults the United States into favoritism for Paris 2024 despite a fourth-place finish at the FIBA World Cup this summer.