Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid is having himself quite the summer. After making his debut on the international basketball stage in the Olympics, his home country, Cameroon, honored his achievements by awarding him a medal.
Embiid received the medal of the Commander of the Order of Valor from Cameroonian President Paul Biya. According to MedalBook.com, the award is given to those who have made “exceptional contributions in the fields of arts, science, agriculture, commerce, or industry.” Sitting next to his father, who served in Cameroon's military as a colonel, Embiid accepted the medal and embraced being back in his home country.
Joel Embiid receives special honor from Cameroon
Although Cameroon was represented by six athletes at the 2024 Olympics, Embiid was one of the biggest sources of representation for the country despite playing for the United States. The Yaounde native is proud of his roots, opting to be introduced in NBA games as a Cameroon native rather than a product of the University of Kansas. He decided to play for Team USA, though, to honor his American-born son and spend the Olympics playing and practicing with more of his NBA peers.
Embiid hinted that he might play the next Olympics with Cameroon after winning the gold medal with Team USA in this year’s Olympic Games. He was a starter for the Americans but didn’t see consistent minutes. Nonetheless, he played his part, notably in a huge performance in the knockout round against Serbia, and won the gold medal.
Now that the Olympics are behind him, Embiid will prepare for his next season with the 76ers. By adding Paul George in free agency and re-signing Tyrese Maxey, Philly had a huge offseason and put itself in a better position to compete for the title, the accolade that still has eluded Embiid so far.
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