Joel Embiid Makes Shocking Announcement About Team USA Future

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was the unsuspecting hero for Team USA in their semifinal win over Serbia on Thursday afternoon, scoring seven straight points in the final minutes to spur on the American's heroic comeback in a 95-91 victory.

Embiid finished the game with 19 points, four rebounds, and two assists, stepping up when the team needed him the most.

It looks like the team may not have him for long, though.

On Friday, Embiid announced that this might be his last Olympic Games, with Team USA, at least. Instead, going into the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the all-star center may play for his home country of Cameroon.

Related: Joel Embiid Becomes Unsuspecting Hero for Team USA Late vs. Serbia

Though Embiid is originally from Cameroon, he gained citizenship to the United States back in 2022 and joined Team USA this year to play alongside the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and many other stars.

A change of teams may be easier said than done, though.

Joe Vardon and Sam Amick of The Athletic reported that because of his participation for the U.S. in a "sanctioned international competition," Embiid would need a waiver from both FIBA and USA Basketball to change teams going forward.

We will see if he ends up going through the effort to make the switch in the coming years, but for now, all that matters is the gold medal game against France on Saturday.

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