Why Didn't Joel Embiid Play Today? Exploring 76ers Star's Absence From Team USA Lineup vs South Sudan

Here's all you need to know about why Joel Embiid didn’t play today in Team USA vs South Sudan in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

By Natasha Bose

Published on Aug 01, 2024 | 02:48 PM IST | 56.3K

Why Didn’t Joel Embiid Play in Team USA's Game Against South Sudan?

After a quiet game against Serbia, Joel Embiid has played zero minutes as Team USA entered the fourth quarter of their second Group C matchup against South Sudan. The Philadelphia 76ers star was the only player with no action today, emulating Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton’s roles in the first match of the group.

Embiid played 11 minutes in the first game against Serbia, while Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis both clocked 19 minutes. Embiid's absence hasn’t had a negative effect on Team USA’s play today. Fans are confused why didn’t Joel Embiid play for Team USA vs South Sudan? Here's some clarity:

After the game, Kerr said that Embiid didn’t play against South Sudan because the coach wanted Team USA to match up more effectively with South Sudan’s team speed, according to Ben Golliver of the Washington Post.

Kerr added that he’s planning on starting Embiid in the Americans’ group play finale Friday against Puerto Rico, along with LeBron James, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, and Jrue Holiday.

"I don’t read social media," Kerr said when discussing stars who haven't played in certain matchups at the Paris Games, according to Golliver. I would hope our guys aren’t paying too much attention to that. That’s a regular season thing where the soap opera can carry the ratings. Here, it’s just win a damn gold."

Though it had a much easier time on Wednesday, Team USA struggled with South Sudan in a July 20 pre-Olympics exhibition in London, with the Americans needing a game-winning shot attempt from Carlik Jones to go awry to hold on for a 101-100 victory.

Embiid started and played 18 minutes in the win, scoring 14 points on five-of-six shooting and pulling down seven rebounds. Team USA outscored South Sudan by 15 points in the time Embiid was on the court.

South Sudan made 14 3-pointers on 33 attempts in the exhibition, something Kerr noted when discussing its team speed.

Embiid’s absence came three days after Kerr did not play either Jayson Tatum or Tyrese Haliburton in Team USA’s 110-84 win against Serbia in their Olympic opener.

Though such well-known players failing to see the floor, even on a team featuring some of the biggest basketball stars in the world, has raised questions for fans watching the games, at least one prominent player on Team USA doesn’t see it as an issue.

Was Joel Embiid hurt? Kerr made no reference after the game to Embiid's lack of playing time being the result of an injury.