76ers star Joel Embiid officially becomes a United States citizen

Joel Embiid is now an American citizen.

The Phildelphia 76ers star revealed on Thursday that he was officially sworn in as a United States citizen earlier this month.

"I've been here for a long time," Embiid said, via The Associated Press. "My son is American. I felt like, I'm living here and it's a blessing to be an American. So I said, why not?"

Embiid was born and raised in Cameroon, and also holds French citizenship. He has been in the United States since his season playing at Kansas in 2013. The 76ers then took him with the No. 3 overall pick the next summer, and he's been in Philadelphia ever since.

Embiid and his longtime girlfriend, Anne de Paula, welcomed their son, Arthur, in 2020.

As he holds French citizenship, many have expected that Embiid may join Les Blues either for the 2023 FIBA World Cup or the 2024 Olympics in Paris. With his American citizenship now in hand, though, Embiid could also play for the United States if he decides to start competing internationally.

Embiid, 28, will enter his ninth season in the league this fall. He averaged a career-high 30.6 points, which earned him the league scoring title, and 11.7 rebounds last season in Philadelphia.