Joel Embiid was knighted in his home country of Cameroon on Wednesday, less than a week after capturing an Olympic gold medal for his adopted home of the United States.
According to TMZ Sports, Embiid was awarded the prestigious Medal of Commander of the Order of Valor by Cameroonian President Paul Biya in recognition of his “exceptional contributions in the fields of arts, science, agriculture, commerce, or industry.” The 76ers big man thanked President Biya for the honor while shouting out everyone who helped him in his basketball journey.
The Cameroon-born superstar lived in his home country until he was 16 before he moved to the United States to pursue a basketball career. Embiid attended a few academies in Florida before receiving a scholarship to attend the University of Kansas in 2013. He was selected No. 3 overall by the Sixers in the 2014 NBA Draft and has remained a part of the organization since.
Embiid’s knighthood comes days after he hinted at representing his home nation at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The Sixers star had the option to represent Cameroon, the United States or France at the Paris Olympics, but ultimately chose to play for Team USA.
“The next one is LA. It might not be with Team USA, it might be with Cameroon,” Embiid told reporters after clinching a gold medal in Paris last Saturday.
While Embiid may want to play for his home country in four years, the decision is not his alone. According to Joe Vardon of The Athletic, Embiid would need a waiver from FIBA and USAB to qualify for Cameroon since he already represented Team USA in his debut Olympics.
Embiid’s decision to represent Team USA over Cameroon or France was the subject of a lot of chatter during the Paris Olympics. The former NBA MVP was mercilessly booed throughout the Games, even as he didn’t shy away from the negativity and embraced it at every turn.
The big man averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists during the Games, including a stellar 19-point outing against Serbia in the semifinals.
