Step aside, Dillon (The Villain) Brooks.
There’s another heel in international basketball.
Centre Joel Embiid has been booed throughout the Olympics after choosing to play for the U.S. over host France or Cameroon in international play.
It just so happens that the U.S. will face France in the gold-medal men’s game on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET / 12:30 p.m. PT.
Embiid won’t be the most popular person in the arena
“They’re going to boo me. I’m going to go back at them and tell them to suck it,” Embiid said with a smile Friday, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
Embiid appeared to be egging on fans Thursday when he did a celebratory dance while walking off the court after the Americans’ 95-91 comeback win over Serbia in the semifinals.
The Philadelphia 76ers star had 19 points on eight-of-11 shooting from the field.
Embiid was born in Cameroon and granted French citizenship in 2022 even though he has never lived in France
Embiid made the decision to represent the U.S. in October 2023.
“I’ve been here for such a long time,” Embiid said after making the decision, per Reynolds. “For the past few years, every decision I’ve made has been based on just family. My family, my son, and having the chance to represent a country like the U.S., with my son being born here … I love my home country, but I really wanted to play in the Olympics.”
Embiid played high school basketball in Florida and then went to Kansas for college.
Embiid said France gave him an Oct. 10, 2023 deadline to make a decision.
“I was trying to take my time as much as possible,” Embiid said after choosing the U.S. “It was kind of made hard by the deadline. But I’m happy with it.”
France beat Germany 73-69 in the other semifinal after knocking off Canada in the quarterfinals.