Steve Kerr Offers Blunt Response on Joel Embiid's Team USA Starting Role

USA Basketball Men’s National Team head coach Steve Kerr had a blunt response when questioned about Joel Embiid's starting role.

Kerr, alongside teammates LeBron James and Stephen Curry, asserted that he doesn't foresee them or Embiid moving to the bench anytime soon.

"Yeah, I like those three guys in the starting lineup," Kerr shared in a postgame interview. "We've been looking at other guys around them, and we obviously do have great options, but I like those three guys together."

Embiid has faced significant challenges during the early games for Team USA. His struggles began against Canada, where he managed five points, committed four turnovers, received a flagrant foul and fouled out before the fourth quarter.

In the following game against Australia, Embiid showed slight improvement but contributed ten points, a far cry from his usual MVP-caliber performances seen with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Against Serbia on Wednesday, Embiid's performance hit a new low. He finished with four points on 1-of-5 shooting, overshadowed by the standout performances of backup centers Anthony Davis and Bam Adebayo.

During the 2024 NBA season, Embiid averaged 34 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game.

However, his performance for Team USA has seen him average less than eight points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2 assists per game over the first three matches.

While Team USA continues to secure victories currently, the team will soon need Joel Embiid to rediscover his dominant MVP form to ensure sustained success in upcoming games

Related: NBA Fans Make Serious Joel Embiid Demand After Team USA Performance