Rival Superstars Both Commit to Team USA

After Team USA's disappointing 4th place finish in this summer's FIBA World Cup, they have been looking to rebuild for next year's international tournament at the Paris Olympics. So far, there have been many high-caliber names such as Lebron James and Stephen Curry rumored to represent the United States next summer, but as of today, we officially have our first two superstars who have publicly committed.

The first superstar is the current MVP, Joel Embiid, whose announcement came via Shams Charania of The Athletic. This announcement was a big surprise to many, as his name was not mentioned during the reported USA Superteam. In fact, Embiid was rumored to join Team USA's opponent and host nation, France's national team.

Joel Embiid, the NBA's reigning Most Valuable Player, has committed to play for Team USA at the Paris 2024 Olympics, sources told ESPN on Thursday.

Embiid informed Team USA executive director Grant Hill of his decision on Thursday morning, sources said, just days after the two pic.twitter.com/W2dfW71aMs— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) October 5, 2023

.@stephenasmith on Joel Embiid committing to play for Team USA:

"Other nations are trying to act as if they're better than the USA when it comes to the sport of basketball. ... We need to show the level of commitment that those other nations ... have shown." pic.twitter.com/dVxVOoidZu— First Take (@FirstTake) October 5, 2023

The second superstar to officially commit is Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who has committed after his second straight season of All-NBA honors. The former 3rd overall pick is no stranger to representing Team USA and has actually won gold on three occasions representing the red, white, and blue in FIBA Under 17's, FIBA Under 19's, and most recently representing the men's national team in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Tatum announced his intentions to play internationally next summer during an interview following a Celtics practice. When asked about joining the potential United States Superteam, he admitted he would "love to."


Celtics and 76ers Rivalry

While the idea of Tatum and Embiid playing together sounds incredible, we must acknowledge that they may have certain chemistry issues as a result of the historic rivalry between the two star players' respective teams.

Both the Celtics and 76ers are two of the longest-tenured and storied franchises in the NBA's existence, and rivalries have persisted between the two teams from the days of Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell in the 60s to the 1980s Eastern Conference finals matchups with the likes of Larry Bird and Julius Erving. Tatum and Embiid have continued this tradition, as recently as last season, leading their teams against each other in a thrilling 7-game series during the playoffs.

With Embiid winning MVP last year and Tatum averaging over 30 points and almost 9 rebounds per game, they both seem to be in the best form of their careers thus far. This is why they are both amongst the top 5 MVP favorites for the upcoming season. On top of this, they are both expected to be competing for a championship this season, and it is likely that they will face off in the playoffs as rivals once again.

Below you can watch the full highlights from game 7 of their playoff matchup last season.


Credits
NBAanalysis
The Boston Herald