Team USA center Joel Embiid (11) celebrates a basket in the final minutes against Serbia during a men’s semifinals basketball game at Bercy Arena at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Mark J.
Terrill) PARIS — It was Joel Embiid’s time to celebrate. And he savored every second. One of two Team USA players left on the court following their 95-91 comeback victory over Serbia in the Paris Olympics men’s basketball semifinals, Embiid decided to dance.
He shuffled up the court, pumping his hands toward the sky while teammate Anthony Edwards looked on. Embiid then did four WWE-style crotch chops. Embiid has dealt with heckles from French fans since he arrived in the country two weeks ago.
It centers on his choice to suit up with Team USA in the Paris Olympics despite an opportunity to play for France. That moment on the court Thursday night was his answer. It followed a signature game in which he responded to his critics by producing 19 points, four rebounds and a block to spearhead a furious U.
S. rally that saw Embiid outshine Serbian star and NBA nemesis Nikola Jokic. Afterward, though, Embiid insisted that advancing to Saturday’s gold-medal match against France, and not the criticism he’s faced thus far, was top of his mind.
“I don’t care. The job is to win the gold,” Embiid said. “I’m not going to sit here and say I don’t love France.
I do love France. I have a lot of people here. .
.. The banter against the fans,.