Joel Embiid was honored by Cameroon with the Medal of Commander of the Order of Valor for his "exceptional contributions in the fields of arts, science, agriculture, commerce, or industry" after winning an Olympic gold medal with Team USA.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was awarded the Medal of Commander of the Order of Valor by his home country of Cameroon following his Olympic gold medal victory with Team USA.
According to TMZ Sports, Cameroonian President Paul Biya presented the honor upon Embiid, recognizing his "exceptional contributions in the fields of arts, science, agriculture, commerce, or industry."
Born in Cameroon, Embiid lived there until he was 16 before moving to the United States to pursue a basketball career.
The 2023 NBA MVP had the option to represent Cameroon, the United States, or France in international competition, ultimately choosing to play for Team USA.
However, Embiid recently hinted at representing Cameroon in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, saying, "The next one is LA. It might not be with Team USA, it might be with Cameroon."
To do so, he would need to meet specific criteria for changing national team representation.
During the Paris 2024 Olympics, Embiid averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists over five games, including a standout 19-point performance in the semifinals against Serbia, where he scored seven clutch points in the fourth quarter.
