Anthony Edwards Defends Joel Embiid Against Booing French Fans

Joel Embiid chose to play for Team USA in the Paris Summer Olympics instead of Team France. And France took that personally.

French basketball fans viciously booed Embiid before the United States' win over South Sudan on Wednesday. The booing eventually subsided during the game, though, as Embiid didn't see a single minute of action. Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, head coach Steve Kerr said it was a matchup-based decision and that Embiid will be back in the lineup against Puerto Rico on Saturday.

The 30-year-old, who was born in Cameroon, grew up in Florida and holds both U.S. and French passports.

"Like I said, I’m an American. I play for Team USA," Embiid said.

But many in the French camp felt slighted — including French basketball federation president Jean-Pierre Siutat.

"We met Joel together with [French basketball figure and ex-NBA player] Boris Diaw in March of 2022," Siutat said, according to BasketNews. "But we didn’t ask for that meeting. He had shown interest in playing for France, and we helped him get French citizenship upon his request.

"But we were never demanding of him. I’m just sorry that we have spent so much time and energy on a file that should never have been opened."

Joel Embiid chose Team USA over Team France in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

(Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

But Embiid's Team USA teammates are coming to his defense. Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards explained that it wouldn't even make sense for the Philadelphia 76ers' 7-foot-tall big man to have joined Team France.

"You got Wemby [Victor Wembanyama] and Rudy [Gobert]," Edwards said about the French team. "Why would he play with y’all? Wemby and Rudy, what more do y’all want? You want three seven-footers?"

Gotta admit, he has a point there.

Embiid and his fellow Americans have already clinched a spot in the quarterfinals. They'll take on Puerto Rico on Saturday in their final group-stage match.