76ers’ Joel Embiid says he’s ‘getting ready’ for Team USA
Since the Philadelphia 76ers’ playoff exit, the focus remains the health on star big man Joel Embiid.
The former league MVP went through the playoffs limited by a knee injury but voiced on Friday that he’s aiming to be ready to go for the 2024 Summer Olympics in time to play for Team USA.
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“I’m doing great. Just getting ready for the Olympics,” Joel Embiid said in an appearance on ABC’s pregame show before Game 4 between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics via ESPN. “It’s going to be big for me because I’ve been dreaming about it since I was a kid.”
It will mark the first time in his career that he will compete in international competition, and he will look to help the US garner another gold medal.
Team USA’s roster features only two other big men in Miami Heat’s Bam Adebayo and Los Angeles Lakers’ Anthony Davis. If there are any limitations, Adebayo and Davis will take on more significant roles.
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USA training camp begins in Las Vegas on July 5, giving him roughly a month to prepare. Joel Embiid isn’t the only roster member dealing with nagging injuries; Indiana Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton and LA Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard also experienced injuries in the playoffs.
Leonard sat out 12 of the last 14 regular-season games due to right knee inflammation. Meanwhile, Haliburton dealt with hamstring issues in the playoffs that forced him to miss the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.
