Joel Embiid: French Fans' Boos Are 'Nothing... I'm an American, I Play for Team USA'

Joel Embiid isn't sweating the sour grapes from French fans at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The Team USA center said he was unbothered by the boos that followed him throughout Sunday's win over Serbia.

"[Reaction is] nothing," Embiid told reporters. "Like I've said, I'm an American. I play for Team USA."

Embiid, who was born in Cameroon and is a French and American citizen, chose to represent the U.S. over France last year. Many, including those who run France's basketball program, expected Embiid to pick France. Former French basketball star Frederic Weis wanted Embiid banned from the country over his decision.

Embiid has lived in the United States since he was 16 and said he wanted to represent the country where his son was born. He also cited pressure from France to make a decision for the reason he ultimately chose the U.S.

"Obviously, I got my home country, Cameroon, which I love, and the U.S., where I've been for 14 years now, and then France, where I have a lot of family," Embiid told David Marchese of the New York Times. "I kind of felt rushed in that decision. I wanted to take as much time as possible, and it didn't help that France had put an ultimatum on when the decision had to be made."

Embiid has been the starting center for the U.S. squad throughout their exhibition games and first game in group play. He was limited to four points and two rebounds in his official Team USA debut, as Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo wound up playing a majority of the center minutes off the bench.

France is also off to a 1-0 start in Olympic play heading into Tuesday's game against Japan.