Joel Embiid embraces BOOS from French fans as USA center claims his Olympic gold medal – after he snubbed home nation

By Jake Nisse

Joel Embiid embraced an avalanche of boos from French fans after the USA beat the hosts in the men’s basketball Olympic gold medal game – a contest in which he could have suited up on the other side in another universe.

The Cameroonian-born center, who is also a US citizen, flirted with representing France in the Paris Olympics before ultimately choosing the country where he plays his professional basketball.

In fact, Embiid was granted French citizenship in July 2022 – despite never living in the country – as French basketball president Jean-Pierre Siutat reportedly went the extra mile after Embiid allegedly told him he wanted to play for France.

That never came to fruition though, and France fans had not forgotten about his snub on Saturday as they barraged him with boos after the USA’s 98-87 win.

Embiid smiled and pumped his fists in the air as the jeers came in, with his teammates finding the moment funny and welcoming the boos as well.

Joel Embiid reveled in the boos from the French crowd after beating the host nation

LeBron James and the rest of his USA teammates welcomed the crowd booing Embiid

The Sixers center later performed the famous ‘suck it chop’ made famous by wrestling stable D-Generation X.

None of his other teammates got booed.

As reported by The Athletic, Embiid – whose son was born in the USA – is adamant that he never gave France a commitment prior to the Paris Olympics.

However, Siutat and France’s men’s team GM, Boris Diaw, disagree with that assessment.

Former France player Frederic Weis also said in the spring that he would ‘ban him from entering France.’

‘I hate him for the things that he did,’ he said on his radio show on the French station RMC. 

Joel Embiid won a gold medal with the USA but may try to play with Cameroon in 2028

‘I think he doesn’t have any respect for France and also for all the people who are asking for a French passport and don’t get it.’ 

Prior to the gold medal game, Embiid suggested to reporters he may want to suit up for Cameroon in the 2028 Olympics, though he would need a waiver from both FIBA and Team USA to make that switch.

If it’s any consolation to French fans, Embiid did not exactly show out in the gold medal game.

He scored just four points and played only 11 minutes as Steve Kerr turned to Anthony Davis (20 minutes) and Bam Adebayo (nine minutes) to fill minutes at center.

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Joel Embiid embraces BOOS from French fans as USA center claims his Olympic gold medal – after he snubbed home nation

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