Sixers’ Nick Nurse Reveals Thoughts on Joel Embiid’s Team USA Run

What does Nick Nurse think about Joel Embiid's run in the Olympics?

Jul 10, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Canada forward Dwight Powell (7) guards USA forward Joel Embiid (11) in the first quarter of the USA Basketball Showcase at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

Staying sharp in the offseason is nothing new for Joel Embiid, who spends his summers working out with other NBA stars under the personal trainer Drew Hanlen.

However, this summer is different.

For the first time, the Philadelphia 76ers center will ramp up game action in the offseason. With the 2024 Olympics firing up this month, Embiid is set to represent Team USA.

Some outsiders were concerned about Embiid’s decision to play beyond the Sixers, considering his extensive injury history. This past season, Embiid missed a chunk of time due to a knee injury, which required surgery to correct.

While Embiid was cleared to return to the court towards the end of the regular season and heading into the playoffs, the star center was dealing with an uphill battle in the postseason after returning from his recovery. Fortunately, Embiid had some time off in between the NBA Playoffs and Team USA’s run.

And the Sixers fully support his decision to take the international stage.

“I’m a pro-International team guy,” Sixers head coach Nick Nurse said. “The experience for him is going to be great. Great players and great staff. And the competition is the biggest thing.”

It’s one thing to get in a gym to run drills and light scrimmages with fellow NBA players who are looking to stay sharp but avoid injury and fatigue. In the Olympics, there’s an incentive to win. For Team USA, gold is the expectation, meaning they can’t ease up against their competition.

“Those guys that pull on those jerseys for those countries, man, they play with everything, and they have a tremendous amount of passion, and the competitiveness of that is always good for anybody,” Nurse added.

As far as injury concerns go, Nurse is viewing Embiid’s presence from a positive lens.

“I also think it’s good for him to play as far as coming off the injury to get himself out there and practice to get back into shape and all of those kinds of things,” the head coach finished. “Listen, I think he wants to win, and I think he wants to make the right play, and that always translates to the Sixers.”

Embiid and Team USA will tip off tournament play on Sunday, July 28, against Serbia.