LeBron James showed support for Joel Embiid in a recent interview with The Athletic . Speaking to Joe Vardon, LeBron James told him that the entire team is on Embiid's side, and they will continue to support him. He added that Embiid has handled the negative reception really well, and all his teammates would help him on and off the court.
“We are all on Jo’s side. Jo’s in great spirits, we’re all in great spirits, and as his 11 teammates, we just give him the support that he needs both on the floor and off the floor if needed.”
Embiid may not need the off-the-court support, as he seems to be handling the jeers from fans well. But on the court is another story. Embiid has struggled in a Team USA uniform. In the showcase games, Embiid averaged just 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 turnovers per game. Despite this, Steve Kerr named him as one of the confirmed starters for Team USA at the Olympics.
In their opener against Serbia, Embiid disappointed greatly, scoring just 4 points, with 2 rebounds and 1 block. He was pulled out of the game early on and replaced by Anthony Davis, who did much better in the role.
Embiid was benched against South Sudan, a decision head coach Steve Kerr said was made only because of the fit against South Sudan. In his return to the lineup against Puerto Rico, Embiid showed significant improvement, scoring 15 points, with 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. Embiid was the second-leading scorer behind Anthony Edwards, who had 26 points.
Joel Embiid Has Become A Hated Figure In France
Joel Embiid has been on the receiving end of a lot of hate and boos from French fans. One French fan even told Embiid to 'return his passport' once while walking to the bus. And against Puerto Rico, Embiid welcomed the fans to jeer him, mocking them by gesturing them to raise their voices.
Embiid's lack of popularity in France is because he rejected the chance to play for their national team in favor of playing for Team USA. French fans felt spurned by the decision, and have made him the villain in their Olympic campaign.
It makes sense why Embiid chose not to play for France, as a team with him, Rudy Gobert, and Victor Wembanyama would struggle to all play together, and someone would have to be forced to sit on the bench.
Embiid even implied that the French team didn't want him to join , suggesting that he made the decision to play for Team USA based on their opinions. Regardless of the outcome, Embiid must now live with his decision, and try and find success with Team USA.
With his performance against Puerto Rico, Steve Kerr will be hoping that Embiid comes into rhythm at the right time for Team USA, and can be one of their key players as they look to win the gold medal for a fifth consecutive time.
Related: Anthony Edwards Doesn't Understand Why The Fans Are Booing Joel Embiid For Not Joining Team France
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