-December 7, 2022 4pm EST

The question as to which country Joel Embiid will play for in the international basketball arena is one that has been on the minds of basketball fans since we learned he was considering between three countries - Cameroon, the United States, or France. Embiid, who was born and raised in Cameroon, has gone through the naturalization process and received citizenship in both France (July 2022) and the USA (September 2022). This leaves Joel Embiid with options, and he has yet to publicly say which country he plans on playing for.

According to the rules of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA), a naturalized citizen, who has not yet played for their home country's national team, may be eligible to play for another country provided they meet certain criteria. Embiid has worked to make sure he has met those requirements in both the USA and France, leaving his options open.

Right now it looks like he is seriously considering either the United States or France. There are pros and cons to each option.

To begin, Embiid would be an invaluable asset to the French basketball team if he joined them in their pursuit of Olympic gold in 2024. As evidenced by his recent All-NBA second-team selection and runner-up finish in the NBA MVP voting, Joel is currently one of the best centers in the game, and a key piece to any team that he is a part of. His combination of size and skill would make him a formidable opponent for Team USA, who have not lost an Olympic game since 2004. With Joel leading the way, the French team could potentially pull off an upset against the four-time reigning Olympic champions and capture the gold medal in Paris.

With a French team roster that already includes Rudy Gobert, no other Olympic team, besides Team USA, has two reigning All-NBA players on its roster.  Joel would be joining a formidable squad that also includes Evan Fournier, and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.  Some of that squad, though, is not very receptive of having Embiid join the team. Current and former national team members, Evan Fournier, Tony Parker, Andrew Albicy and Nicolas Batum, have expressed their disapproval of Joel Embiid joining the national team because of his lack of connection to the country.

Joining Team USA could greatly benefit Joel Embiid on a number of levels. By playing for the United States, Joel would be part of one of the most dominant basketball teams in history and gain invaluable experience competing at an elite level. From a career standpoint, this exposure would give Joel an opportunity to showcase his talents on the world stage and potentially increase his global profile.

In addition, Joel would have the opportunity to play alongside some of the biggest stars in basketball - something that could help him further improve his game and help bolster his potential future earnings.

Ultimately, Joel will need to weigh all of these factors before making a decision about which team he wants to represent in international competitions. It is an important decision that will not only affect Joel's career but potentially the future of international basketball. Which path Joel chooses is entirely up to him - and we can't wait to see how he ultimately decides to proceed!