As all eyes are set on Joel Embiid 's participation for Team USA in the 2024 Summer Games, basketball fans highly anticipate his looming duel with Nikola Jokic . Yet regardless of how people continue to make narratives between them, the Philadelphia 76ers superstar set the record straight that his focus remains intact in helping the Americans win their fifth-straight gold medal.
"I don't care about Jokic. I'm playing for my national team. That's what it's all about. We're focusing on ourselves and trying to make sure everyone's on the same page. When we get there, we all know what we got to focus on," he said .
Embiid vs. Jokic in the Olympics
Based on the calendar, Joel and Team USA will face the Nikola-led Serbia twice. Before they take the stage in Paris on July 28 for the opening matchup of Group C in the Olympic Men's Basketball, the Serbians and Americans will first play an exhibition game on July 18 in Abu Dhabi.
More than just the fact that it'll be a major collision between two heavyweight hoops nations, we can only be thrilled that the past two league MVPs are set for a face-off again. They are two important figures who are about to highlight the glamour and star power of Olympic hoops, which will surely draw massive attention from viewers and sports enthusiasts.
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Another heavyweight matchup
As it is, JoJo drew notoriety for his shared NBA rivalry with Joker for controversially sitting out and becoming unavailable in their head-to-head matchups in Denver. Embiid hasn't played yet in the Mile High City since 2019, which forced many, including ESPN's Brian Windhorst , to accuse him of ducking his center battle with Jokic.
From this, Joel has no choice but to face and endure the majority's linking of him with Nikola. However, in the end, he can only be confident in his chances of beating the Nuggets great, knowing that he has a stacked and formidable U.S. squad behind him powered by LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, and Jayson Tatum, among many others.
We can only hope that both Embiid and Jokic will give us an exciting battle in the paint under the bright lights of the world's biggest sporting event.
Related: "I'm a big fan" - Joel Embiid buries all rumors of beef with two-time MVP Nikola Jokic
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