After teasing 2028 Olympic plans with Cameroon, Joel Embiid makes triumphant return to his hometown

Joel Embiid teased the possibility of representing Cameroon in basketball after winning the gold medal with Team USA. Embiid was born and raised in Yaounde before moving to the United States when he was in high school. He returned to his home country right after the Olympics, and it's all over social media.

In a video uploaded by Afroballers on Instagram, the former MVP and Philadelphia 76er arrives in Cameroon. He went via private jet and some people were awaiting him at the airport. Some staff stopped him to get a selfie, and he politely obliged.

It's the start of the offseason for Embiid and the rest of the players who participated in the Olympics. He will have about a month or so to enjoy the summer before getting his body prepared for training camp, which starts around September.

Embiid was born and raised in the capital city of Yaounde by his parents Thomas and Christine Embiid. He played volleyball and soccer growing up, and there were plans for him to become a pro volleyball player in Europe. He started playing basketball at 15.

"The Process" was discovered by former NBA player Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, who helped him get into the United States. He played high school basketball at Montverde Academy and The Rock School in Florida. He played one season at Kansas before getting drafted third overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2014.

Embiid's NBA career got off to a rocky start, and he missed the first two years due to foot problems. He's been battling injuries ever since, although when he's healthy, he's one of the best and most dominant players in the league. He even won the 2023 MVP over Nikola Jokic.

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Can Joel Embiid play for Cameroon?

Can Joel Embiid play for Cameroon? (Photo: IMAGN)

Embiid was eligible to play for Cameroon, France and the United States. He chose to represent the United States because his son was born there, and he wanted to win the gold medal for him. Now that he has done that, Embiid teased the possibility of switching allegiance to Cameroon for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

"It's been a good experience. It's been a grind, being away from home 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 (Los Angeles). It might not be with Team USA, it might be with Cameroon," Embiid said. [H/T Newsweek]

But can Embiid ditch the United States and play for Cameroon? Yes, he can represent his home country in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. However, he would need clearance from Team USA and FIBA to change allegiance.

It's a hard process but not impossible considering Eric Gordon's case. Gordon won the World Cup with Team USA but was allowed to represent the Bahamas during the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.