The main obstacle of the project is removed.
Basketball player Joel Embiid, Cameroonian by birth, is now French.
The decision to naturalize him was formalized in a decree of July 4, published in the Official Journal on the 5th and broadcast on social networks in recent hours, in the midst of hundreds of other anonymous names.
The NBA star of the Philadelphia Sixers, whose steps to change nationality had been made public in May, is now eligible to join the France team.
The massive pivot (2.13 m, 127 kilos) will therefore be able to strengthen the Blues, Olympic vice-champions in Tokyo where they had been dominated by the United States in the final.
If a list of 17 players to prepare for the Euro (September 1-18) has already been drawn up without him, the player is applying to compete in the world championship in 2023, whose French players are still competing in the qualifications, but especially the 2024 Olympics. in Paris, where basketball could be shared between Lille and the capital.
A possible integration that raises questions
It remains to be seen how the integration of the player within a collective united by several competitions could materialize.
“I can understand that it's ethically disturbing, but from a basketball point of view... I put myself on both sides: player-captain, but also fan!
And an Embiid-Gobert racket (Editor's note: the current pivot of the Blues, damn it! So here it is, ethically, I understand, but "basketball"..., explained French captain Nicolas Batum in May to L'Equipe. really because there are two subjects: on the ethical side, that raises questions. On the basketball side, there are zero to ask. "
“I may not be objective because he plays in the same position as me, but do we need him?
I have nothing against him, he is one of the best players in the world and he is a good guy, believes Parisian insider Vincent Poirier.
It would have an impact in the game, but we are already a recognized nation, we are Olympic vice-champions.
»
