Inside the 28-year-old Yaoundé-born Philadelphia Sixers “has applied for nationality and he hoped to have it to be able to play in the France team. According to the latest news, he is still in this process”confirmed Diaw during a press conference in Nanterre (Hauts-de-Seine) where the Blues are training before qualifying matches for the 2023 World Cup.
But the possible naturalization of Embiid would not guarantee him direct access to the France team according to the general manager of the Blues. “The day it will be obtained, it will be another matter to make a selection and take the players who have the ability to carry this France team while remaining in the spirit of the group”pointed out Diaw.
Embiid’s first approaches to the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) date back to 2016. Revealed two years later, they had aroused not very enthusiastic reactions, with full-back Evan Fournier believing in particular that “playing for a country you have no ties with is disturbing”.
The captain and winger of the Blues Nicolas Batum had shown himself to be more nuanced regarding a possible integration of the best scorer of the season in the NBA (30.6 points on average) in the French team, in an interview with the newspaper L’Equipe in may. “I can understand that this is ethically disturbing, but (…) an Embiid-Gobert racket (pivot of the Blues editor’s note), p…n!”he had said.
“So here it is, ethically, I understand, but ‘basketball’…”added Batum.
