Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers rejoiced in winning his first Olympic gold medal as Team USA defeated France 98-87 on Saturday afternoon. Even though he had a low-key performance, Embiid’s efforts were key in ensuring the win.
Embiid’s Game and Celebration
Joel Embiid accumulated four points, secured three rebounds, dished out two assists, and recorded one steal in 11 minutes of play in the Gold Medal Game. His Instagram post received more than 250,000 likes and 3,000 comments in only five hours. He wrote in the caption of the post, “Everything is like gold! Objective achieved 🏆. His All-Star partner, Tyrese Maxey, joined in with a comment that garnered over 400 likes, simply saying, “BIG FELLLA.”
Key Contributions
Despite his quiet showing in the final game, Embiid made a big impact during the entire tournament. During Team USA’s win against Serbia in the semifinals, he stood out with 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one block. In that game, Embiid made 8 out of 11 field goal attempts and 2 out of 3 three-point shots.
Looking Ahead for the 76ers
Embiid’s gold medal win sets the 76ers up for an thrilling 2024-25 season. During the offseason, the team bolstered their roster by signing Paul George, a nine-time NBA All-Star. In the previous season, Embiid had an average of 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game, with shooting percentages of 52.9% and 38.8% from the field and beyond the arc, respectively.
The pairing of Embiid and Maxey, with the inclusion of George, creates elevated anticipations for the upcoming season as the 76ers strive for triumph on the court and in their quest for an NBA title.
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