Joel Embiid sprained his ankle in the quarterfinal against Brazil, according to Team USA head coach Steve Kerr.
The 2023 NBA MVP spent the second half on the bench due to the injury. Kerr noted that Embiid was initially effective, scoring two early threes.
“Joel was great. We wanted to establish him inside early. Instead, he went out and made a couple of threes right away,” Kerr said. “Mildly sprained ankle, so he sat out the second half. But Joel’s really playing well.”
Team USA dominated Brazil, winning 122-87 to advance to the semifinals of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. They will face Serbia next.
Embiid contributed 14 points and 7 rebounds in just 12 minutes against Brazil.
Throughout the Olympics, Embiid has been averaging 11 points and 4 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game.
Despite his injury, Embiid’s presence has been significant for the team’s success. The Americans now prepare for a rematch against Serbia, whom they defeated by 26 points in the group stage.
