Polarising USA star Joel Embiid embraces barrage of French boos as Durant praises NBL star
Team USA’s 17-point win over South Sudan had plenty of action, including more French boos for a big man and Kevin Durant handing high praise for an NBL star, writes MATT LOGUE.
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Former NBA MVP Joel Embiid has turned into public enemy No.1 at the Paris Olympics.
Embiid has copped a barrage of boos from the French faithful every time he touches the ball.
The issue: the Philadelphia 76ers big man obtained a French citizenship in 2022 so he would be eligible to play for France at this year’s Games.
Embiid decided to knock back playing for the Blues in Paris, instead choosing to play for the star-studded Americans.
This decision has clearly frustrated the French, who have gone out of their way to spray the 76ers’ big man even though he was born in Cameroon before moving to Florida at age 16.
The loud boo trend continued prior to Thursday’s clash against South Sudan, but Embiid baited the crowd as he entered the court for the warm-ups.
The cat calls from the stands in Lille were deafening and the NBA big man wasn’t worried.
He gave the fans a cheeky grin, while he waved his hands in the air and encouraged the supporters to do their best and ramp up the ridicule.
The NBA superstar has certainly been a polarising figure at these Olympics, but he is determined to block out the noise.
Embiid’s position on the Team USA squad has also been questioned after he had just four points in 11 minutes against Serbia, with talking heads in America declaring he shouldn’t be playing at the Games.
At Pierre Mauroy stadium in the early hours of Thursday morning, the woes for the man nicknamed “The Process” continued.
Joel Embiid enters for pregame warmups to boos from the French crowd…
— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) July 31, 2024
Embiid responds the only way Embiid does, by telling them to do it louder lmao pic.twitter.com/HzMAku1qjX
Embiid was the only Team USA player not to take the floor despite the Americans recording a comfortable 103-86 victory over South Sudan.
US coach Steve Kerr said after the win over Serbia it was hard to play more than 10 guys in FIBA’s 40-minute games.
Kerr didn’t play Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton in the blowout triumph over the Serbians.
The snub of recently crowned NBA champion Tatum attracted big headlines in the US, with media and social media lashing coach Kerr for not giving the Boston Celtics superstar court time.
Embiid’s benching didn’t receive the same support via social media.
“If Embiid is the odd man out this time, I can’t imagine a hint of reaction from the internet, whatsoever,” one reporter from the Bleacher Report tweeted.
Another fan weighed in, saying: “I think most NBA fans would be very happy with that move by Kerr tbh”.
You can’t deny Embiid is one of the best big men on the basketball globe – and he should play a role for Team USA at some stage, especially against some of the bigger teams like France and Germany. Coach Kerr confirmed Embiid will return to the starting line-up for America’s final group stage game against Puerto Rico, but can he regain his finest form?
But with big men Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo excelling in the rotation for America, the 76ers star could be hard pressed to make a major impact in Paris.
Joel Embiid was removed from starting lineup and played zero minutes vs. South Sudan pic.twitter.com/Id5MDEq3yc
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 31, 2024
Adebayo starred against South Sudan, dropping a team-high 18 points and adding seven rebounds.
FIBA veterans LeBron James and Kevin Durant did their usual thing, netting 12 and 14 points respectively.
James’ points haul helped him join the 300 point club for Team USA alongside Carmelo Anthony and Durant.
Asked about the achievement post-game, a locked in LeBron said: “At the end of the day I just want to win.
“I mean, I’m here to win and win the gold. That is my only mindset. It isn’t anything about scoring.
“It’s definitely an honour any time you hear your name in any type of record books, but I’m here for a bigger picture.”
Boomers stars Josh Giddey, Dyson Daniels and Duop Reath were in the sold-out crowd in Lille to watch the world’s best team.
Giddey and co would have been impressed with the big-name Americans, but also South Sudan guard Bul Kuol.
The recently signed Sydney King put on a show against his more fancied rivals, going toe-to-toe with the likes of James, Tatum and Durant.
Kuol finished with 16 points, including four of five from three in a great sign for Kings fans back home ahead of NBL25.
Team USA’s leading scorer Durant praised the NBL star’s defensive commitment post-game.
“Oh he’s in Australia? Yeah man, he’s super physical,” Durant told reporters. “Love his intensity, I respect how he approaches the game. They didn’t back down at all.”
South Sudan, an emerging basketball nation made up of four NBL players, shocked the world just over a week ago when they lost by just one point to the star-studded Americans in London.
The Africans led by as many as 16 points, before a dominant James took over in the second half, including a determined game-winning drive to the basket to seal a thrilling 101-100 win.
The close loss gave the men from South Sudan a spring in their step heading into their Olympic group stage rematch against the Americans.
The Africans briefly led in the first quarter, before the star-studded Team USA side took control to record a hard fought win with Embiid watching on from the bench.
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