Former Jayhawk Joel Embiid chooses to play for Team USA at 2024 Paris Olympics

Former Kansas basketball star and reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid announced this week that he plans to represent the United States at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, next summer.

The current 76ers center holds both French and American citizenship, so he had the option of playing for either the U.S. or France. His native country of Cameroon also still has a shot to qualify for the Olympics, but their fate won’t be determined until the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments in July 2024.

According to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, Embiid chose to represent Team USA to help them return to international glory.

“Embiid ultimately chose to represent the United States, sources said, because he wants to help the U.S. return to the top of the international basketball world after it failed to medal at the World Championships in Manila this summer,” Shelburne reports.

Embiid informed Team USA executive director Grant Hill of his decision on Thursday morning.

“It’s exciting for USA Basketball that Joel Embiid wants to represent the United States,” Hill said Thursday in a statement. “Joel and I have had several conversations about his goals, and I’m looking forward to continuing that dialogue knowing that one of those goals is to represent USA Basketball next summer in Paris.”

The intrigue of joining NBA superstars like Steph Curry and LeBron James – both of whom have expressed interest in playing for Team USA in Paris – was clearly a big selling point for Embiid. NBA stars such as Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and others have expressed interest as well in what is sure to be a star-studded group once the final roster is announced.

Regardless of who ends up joining him, Embiid’s decision to play for the U.S. is huge for the team’s chances.

Last year in the regular season, Embiid averaged an incredible 33.1 points (which led the NBA) and 10.2 rebounds per game on his way to becoming the first former Jayhawk since Wilt Chamberlain to be named NBA MVP.

If Embiid were to win a gold medal with Team USA in Paris next summer, he would become the first former Kansas men’s basketball player since Jo Jo White (1968 Mexico City Olympics) to earn the distinction of Olympic gold medalist.

Former Kansas women’s basketball star Lynette Woodard took home gold playing for the U.S. women’s team in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics.

The USA men’s basketball team has taken home the gold medal in the last four consecutive Olympic games and seven of the past eight dating back to 1992 when the “Dream Team” took home the top prize.

With Embiid now committed to representing the United States, the team has a great chance to take home their fifth consecutive Olympic gold medal.