NBA superstar Joel Embiid has been honored by his birth country of Cameroon after hinting that he could represent them at the next Olympics despite starring for Team USA in Paris.
The 30-year-old etched his name into Stars and Stripes history as the Americans prevailed once more in the event - securing the top prize for a record 17th time. The one-time NBA MVP center was on hand with an average of 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in the tournament as the USA eventually edged out France to take gold.
Embiid put in a particularly memorable showing in the semifinals versus Serbia too, as he contributed 19 points, with seven of these coming in the fourth quarter. Now, he has been honored by Cameroon with the illustrious Order of Valor medal, with president Paul Biya bestowing the honor on the Philadelphia 76ers ace to mark his achievements.
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The medals itself is given to anyone born in Cameroon who has made "exceptional contributions in the fields of arts, science, agriculture, commerce, or industry". Also holding French citizenship, his allegiance heading into the Games was a subject of debate - before Embiid decided to represent the USA.
Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle , Embiid previously admitted that he could represent the country of his birth at the Games in the future, saying: "It's been a good experience. It's been a grind, being away from and family for a few weeks. But the group of guys we have made it easy. Paris is a great city and the next one is LA. It might not be with Team USA , it might be with Cameroon."
Discussing his decision-making process after opting to represent the USA, he told the New York Times : "I kind of felt rushed in that decision because I wanted to take as much time as possible. It didn't help that France put an ultimatum on when the decision had to be made. I saw it on Twitter, and I was like, 'Woah, where did it come from?'"
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"From the conversations that I had with the US, it was just, 'Take as much time as you need, there's no rush. We'd love to have you but it's ok if you make another decision.' When you have someone else putting pressure on you, it may seem like, 'Oh, you have to make a decision.'
Leaving his options open after a successful appearance at the Games, the seven-time NBA all-star definitively acknowledged that he would like to represent Cameroon if they achieve qualification for the Olympics , saying: "If they qualify, I'm playing for my home country because that's my dream - to play in the Olympics,"
Coming into the spectacle in the French capital this summer, the 76ers hero spoke of his pride at the prospect of representing Team USA, saying: "I’m really proud and excited about this decision. It was not easy. I am blessed to call Cameroon, France, and the USA home.
"After talking to my family, I knew it had to be Team USA. I want to play with my brothers in the league. I want to play for my fans because they’ve been incredible since the day I came here. But most of all, I want to honor my son who was born in the US. I want my boy to know I played my first Olympics for him."
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