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Tyrese Haliburton Mocks Joel Embiid With Hilarious ‘Give Back Your Passport’ Joke as 76ers Star at Olympics Opening Ceremony
During the Olympic opening ceremony, Tyrese Haliburton rubbed salt on Joel Embiid's wounds with the famous ‘Passport’ joke, heckling him for picking Team USA in the Olympics.
The best friends are often the ones who tease you the most, and we saw a prime example of that with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Haliburton. There’s been a lot of buzz about Cameroon-born Joel Embiid joining Team USA for the 2024 Olympics. Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton took the chance to poke fun at the former NBA MVP.
As they cruised along the Parisian waters, Haliburton joked with Embiid about his passport. “Give your passport back,” Haliburton said while Embiid waved a mini-American flag.
Embiid, however, did shoot back. Haliburton even labeled the Instagram story with a “Captain America” caption.
What was Joel Embiid's response to Tyrese Haliburton asking him to give back his passport?
From behind the camera, Haliburton asked Embiid to give him his passport, prompting Embiid to respond with:
"I'm American man."
Haliburton shared the video on his Instagram story, tagging it with a “Captain America” caption. What’s fortunate is that the 76ers superstar didn’t take it to heart.
Watch their hilarious encounter below:
Is the basketball world being too harsh on Embiid for deciding to play for Team USA?
We don't know, but we do know and can tell you how the whole passport joke started.
For those who might not know, Haliburton's joke was a nod to French fans telling Embiid to “give back his passport” after he chose to play for the American team, despite being a French citizen. Embiid could have represented Cameroon or France instead of joining Team USA, according to USA Today's Jeff Zilgitt.
Before joining Team USA, Embiid had pledged to play for France and even received a French passport after being made an honorary citizen.
When Team USA arrived for the games, fans immediately called out Embiid, yelling, "Give back your passport." For many, Joel's choice of Team USA over France or Cameroon felt like a betrayal.
“Embiid had national team choices,” Zilgitt explained. “Born in Cameroon, he could’ve played for his native country. He also could’ve played for France, which recruited him heavily to play alongside Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama. Imagine that front line for France.”
Embiid, who moved to the USA from Cameroon at 16 to pursue a professional basketball career, had every right to choose the American team. However, he won't get the same level of respect from fans as superstars like Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo, who all play for their native countries despite having less talent on their teams.
Regardless of opinions on Embiid's choice, he will be a crucial player for Team USA in this tournament. He performed well in the exhibition games, averaging 10.4 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 0.2 blocks per game, shooting 51.5%.
READ MORE: Top 7 Highest Paid Athletes at 2024 Paris Olympics ft LeBron James
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