VILLENEUVE-D’ASCQ, France (AP) — Joel Embiid selected to play for the U.S. over France on the Paris Olympics. And the French aren’t letting him neglect about it.

French followers attending the U.S. males’s basketball workforce’s Olympic opener towards Serbia on Sunday have been forceful with how they really feel in regards to the NBA star for the Philadelphia 76ers and native of Cameroon.

He was met with boos at any time when he’s carried out something on the court docket — be it throughout pregame introductions, coming off the bench, touching the ball — something.

Why?

It possible facilities on his determination to not play for France, which granted him naturalized citizenship standing in 2022 regardless that he’s by no means lived there.

There was some hope by French followers that he’d workforce with fellow NBA stars Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert to play for the host nation within the Paris Video games.

He additionally had the choice of taking part in for Cameroon, nevertheless it was knocked out early throughout the qualification course of. That left the U.S., the place he additionally obtained a U.S. passport in 2022.

He’s beforehand mentioned he wished to play for Crew USA as a result of his son was born there. However he’s by no means particularly mentioned why he selected the U.S. over France.

None of it mattered to French followers on Sunday.

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AP Summer time Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games