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'Don't care about Nikola Jokic': Joel Embiid Seemingly Throws Shade at Serbian Star Ahead of Paris Olympics 2024
Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid said he doesn’t care about facing Nikola Jokic in the 2024 Paris Olympics, he’s playing for his national team.
Joel Embiid and Team USA are in for a challenging start at the Olympics later this month. Since 2008, the Americans have won in the men's basketball tournament at the Summer Olympics. So naturally, they are heavy favorites to win a record-tying fifth consecutive gold.
Their first game on July 28 will be against three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and the Serbian national team. As Team USA gets ready for Paris, Embiid isn't currently concerned about Jokić.
Joel Embiid doesn't care about Nikola Jokic, he's playing for his national team
Team USA faces a tough test early in the Paris tournament, with a matchup against Nikola Jokić and Serbia in both teams' first games of the 2024 Olympics. When asked about the upcoming game against his NBA rival, the Philadelphia 76ers star made it clear that he's focused elsewhere.
"I don't care about Jokić. I'm playing for my national team," said Joel Embiid (h/t Justin Russo).
"It's all about focusing on ourselves and making sure everyone is on the same page. When we get there, we need to know what to focus on. Right now, it's just about improving every day," added Embiid, who holds French and American citizenship.
Nikola Jokić and Serbia are expected to be major obstacles for Embiid and Team USA
Back in the 2016 Rio Olympics group phase, Jokić scored 25 points on 11/15 shooting, with six rebounds and three assists in a close 96-93 loss to the United States. The teams met again in the gold medal match, where the Americans dominated Serbia with a 96-66 victory. Jokić scored just six points on 3/5 shooting in that game.
Recently, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokić had one of the NBA's biggest rivalries. They competed closely for the MVP title in 2023, with Embiid ultimately winning. However, Jokić went on to secure his third MVP title this past season, while Embiid missed much of the regular season due to a knee injury.
Given this history, it's no surprise that the rivalry between these two stars is rekindled as they prepare to face each other in the Olympics. Team USA and Serbia are in Group C of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Despite options, Joel Embiid chose to be a part of Team USA for his son
Joel Embiid, who holds citizenship in Cameroon, France, and the United States, faced a tough decision when choosing which country to represent in the Olympics. Although he could have played for Cameroon or France, his focus was on winning a gold medal with Team USA, where he has been practicing at UNLV.
"I’ve known these guys for a long time, so it was easy to join this special team and country, which I love and where I’m raising my family and my American son," Embiid said. "It’s fun to be around so many great players, but everything is serious. We have a goal to accomplish, so it’s all about maximizing our time together to get on the same page and improve every day."
Embiid, 30, didn't elaborate on why he chose the United States in October, saying he had already addressed the topic.
Previously linked to the Cameroon national team, Embiid didn't play for them in the 2017 FIBA AfroBasket tournament. Cameroon didn't qualify for the 2024 Olympics after losing to Latvia.
France was also an option after Embiid gained French citizenship in 2022. He could have teamed up with French stars Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama to challenge Team USA.
In October, Embiid made his final decision, choosing to represent the country where his son Arthur was born. In a heartfelt post on X, he wrote, "I want my boy to know I played my first Olympics for him."
Embiid came to the U.S. at 15 and has lived here since. He played at Kansas for a year and has been with the Philadelphia 76ers since being drafted third overall in 2014.
He often says his son changed his life, and Arthur influences all his decisions. Embiid's American teammates have welcomed him warmly.
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