Anthony Edwards Jokes About French Fans Booing Joel Embiid: 'You Want 3 7-Footers?'

Minnesota Timberwolves superstar guard Anthony Edwards seemed to question the logic of French fans booing USA Basketball teammate Joel Embiid at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris following the Americans' win over South Sudan on Wednesday.

According to Jonas Miklovas of BasketNews, Edwards said, "I don't know what is going on. I don't know why he gets booed all the time," in reference to Embiid before being informed by reporters that it is due to the fact that Embiid spurned the French national team in favor of Team USA.

That prompted Edwards to make a humorous-yet-sound point, saying: "But you got Wemby and Rudy; why would he play with y'all? Wemby and Rudy, what more do y'all want? You want three 7-footers?"

Edwards was referring to San Antonio Spurs superstar big man and reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama, as well as the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year and his T-Wolves teammate in Rudy Gobert.

Both Wembanyama and Gobert are over 7 feet tall, creating a unique challenge for France's opponents.

Given that it is already a rarity for a team to have two 7-footers who play on the floor together with regularity, it likely would have been difficult for Team France to work a third into the rotation like Embiid.

Although France likely could have found a way to keep all three of them fresh, it is a near certainty that all three of them would have never seen the court together.

Even so, Embiid has been public enemy No. 1 as far as the French fans are concerned, as they booed Embiid throughout Team USA's tournament-opening win over Serbia and during warmups prior to Wednesday's 103-86 win over South Sudan.

The booing ceased during the game, though, as Embiid didn't see a single minute of action. Per ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Team USA head coach Steve Kerr suggested it was a matchup-based decision and noted that Embiid will be back in the lineup when the United States faces Puerto Rico on Saturday.

Embiid had the choice to represent the United States, France or Cameroon internationally, and he became a French citizen in 2022, which led many to assume that he would play for France at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.

Instead, the Philadelphia 76ers star and 2023 NBA MVP decided to play for Team USA after becoming an American citizen later in 2022.

For Embiid's part, he is taking everything in stride, telling Joe Vardon of The Athletic, "Nothing. Like I said I'm an American, I play for Team USA," when asked for his reaction to the boos.