Joel Embiid on his decision to play for USA: France tried to rush me and USA told me to take my time
Joel Embiid: “So it was tough, but my goal growing up, I watched the Olympics. It was always about, you know, I want to play, I want to be part of it, so that’s been my dream. So to me, that was what matters the most, you know, achieving my dreams. And, you know, one thing I said, I was, I kind of felt a rush in that decision because I wanted to take as much time as possible. And it didn’t help that, you know, France that put an ultimatum on, you know, when the decision had to be made.”
Source: Apple Podcasts
Source: Apple Podcasts
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
Lebron has turned it on today. He’s exerting real energy, and Joel Embiid continues to get barbecued defensively – 4:33 PM
Lebron has turned it on today. He’s exerting real energy, and Joel Embiid continues to get barbecued defensively – 4:33 PM
Tony Mejia @MejiaDinero
South Sudan🇸🇸 (+43.5) 58 #USABasketball🇺🇸 44
HT
Saw US was still -9.5 on live line when down 14 earlier, so halftime line of -25 or so is likely
This slow start isn’t solely his fault, but I concur with popular opinion that Joel Embiid should no longer be in the US starting five – 4:05 PM
South Sudan🇸🇸 (+43.5) 58 #USABasketball🇺🇸 44
HT
Saw US was still -9.5 on live line when down 14 earlier, so halftime line of -25 or so is likely
This slow start isn’t solely his fault, but I concur with popular opinion that Joel Embiid should no longer be in the US starting five – 4:05 PM
Kellan Olson @KellanOlson
Big benefit of Embiid on the roster is forcing foul trouble. And then when USA gets in the bonus like this they are just going to give it to him every possession. – 3:53 PM
Big benefit of Embiid on the roster is forcing foul trouble. And then when USA gets in the bonus like this they are just going to give it to him every possession. – 3:53 PM
Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Joel Embiid just had a 5-foot-2 (approximately) guy on him, so naturally, he fires a behind the back pass out of bounds and near nobody wearing a USA uniform. – 3:44 PM
Joel Embiid just had a 5-foot-2 (approximately) guy on him, so naturally, he fires a behind the back pass out of bounds and near nobody wearing a USA uniform. – 3:44 PM
John Karalis @John_Karalis
USA passed up four good looks from 3 being too unselfish and it ends with an Embiid turnover – 3:42 PM
USA passed up four good looks from 3 being too unselfish and it ends with an Embiid turnover – 3:42 PM
Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Embiid figuring out this whole playing with LeBron thing pic.twitter.com/CiuOTLX7U4 – 3:11 PM
Embiid figuring out this whole playing with LeBron thing pic.twitter.com/CiuOTLX7U4 – 3:11 PM
Cameron Tabatabaie @CTabatabaie
It’s insane that Embiid is STARTING in the Olympics
Everything the Sixers are building is geared toward him finally being healthy and rested for the playoffs and instead he’s having one of his most intense summers as a pro? – 3:07 PM
It’s insane that Embiid is STARTING in the Olympics
Everything the Sixers are building is geared toward him finally being healthy and rested for the playoffs and instead he’s having one of his most intense summers as a pro? – 3:07 PM
Ira Winderman @IraHeatBeat
Bam Adebayo again off bench today for Team USA vs South Sudan in London pre-Olympic exhibition (Fox, 3 p.m.). Starters:
Steph Curry
Devin Booker
Jrue Holiday
LeBron James
Joel Embiid – 2:54 PM
Bam Adebayo again off bench today for Team USA vs South Sudan in London pre-Olympic exhibition (Fox, 3 p.m.). Starters:
Steph Curry
Devin Booker
Jrue Holiday
LeBron James
Joel Embiid – 2:54 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
Create a squad of active players to beat Team USA:
Steph
LeBron
Ant
AD
Embiid
Tatum
KD
Bam
Hali
Book
Jrue
White pic.twitter.com/3Ik16bK5lt – 1:41 PM
Create a squad of active players to beat Team USA:
Steph
LeBron
Ant
AD
Embiid
Tatum
KD
Bam
Hali
Book
Jrue
White pic.twitter.com/3Ik16bK5lt – 1:41 PM
Mike Vorkunov @MikeVorkunov
Joel Embiid wyd nytimes.com/2024/07/20/mag… pic.twitter.com/5srdyBjG1D – 1:37 PM
Joel Embiid wyd nytimes.com/2024/07/20/mag… pic.twitter.com/5srdyBjG1D – 1:37 PM
John Gonzalez @JohnGonzalez
Really good wide-ranging interview with @JoelEmbiid. People will prob focus on the GOAT/injury portion, but he also opened up on mental health, staying in Philly, Team USA, and why growing his family is so important after losing his younger brother
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the… – 12:24 PM
Really good wide-ranging interview with @JoelEmbiid. People will prob focus on the GOAT/injury portion, but he also opened up on mental health, staying in Philly, Team USA, and why growing his family is so important after losing his younger brother
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the… – 12:24 PM
Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Steve Kerr said having LeBron James around USA Basketball for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 is “pretty special and amazing” 🇺🇸
The American head coach also mentioned the importance of defense to win the gold medal, and confirmed Joel Embiid will start:
eurohoops.net/en/olympic-gam… – 6:41 AM
Steve Kerr said having LeBron James around USA Basketball for the Olympic Games in Paris 2024 is “pretty special and amazing” 🇺🇸
The American head coach also mentioned the importance of defense to win the gold medal, and confirmed Joel Embiid will start:
eurohoops.net/en/olympic-gam… – 6:41 AM
More on this storyline
“They set a timeline and said, so what was the timeline that they said? Joel Embiid: I didn’t know, you know, I saw it on Twitter, and I was like, whoa, you know, where did this come from? Because I mean, from the conversation that I had with the US was, you know, just take as much time as you need. You know, there’s no rush, you know, we’d love to have you, but it’s okay, you know, if you make another decision.” -via Apple Podcasts / July 20, 2024
“Do you have any doubt about who’s going to win the gold medal? Joel Embiid: I mean, you look at the talent that the US has, but I mean, there’s also equal time on other teams. And the talent that’s on the US team, you also got to understand that most of those guys are also older. LeBron now is not the LeBron that was a couple of years ago. So it’s a big difference. So the name might be there, but everybody would also tell you, and you can see for yourself, the athletic LeBron and the dominant that he was a couple of years ago is not the same that he is now. So, yeah, I mean, I think people get fooled by the names on their own paper, but, yeah, those names have been built throughout their career and now they’re older, so they’re not what they used to be.” -via Apple Podcasts / July 20, 2024
StatMuse: Embiid against South Sudan: 14 PTS (18 MIN) 7 REB only missed one shot. pic.twitter.com/maHyPRXSFr -via Twitter @statmuse / July 20, 2024