Why didn't Joel Embiid play vs South Sudan? Steve Kerr cited matchup concerns for Team USA

The United States men’s basketball national team moved to 2-0 at the 2024 Paris Olympics Wednesday with a 103-86 victory against South Sudan.

The Americans were carried by a relatively balanced scoring effort, with six of their 11 players who saw the court finishing in double figures, led by 18 points from Bam Adebayo on eight-of-10 shooting. Team USA’s bench was particularly helpful, too, with the six non-starters combining to score 66 of the squad’s 103 points.

After the game, the discussion surrounding Team USA was just as much about who didn’t play than who did.

REQUIRED READING: Follow USA TODAY's coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris

Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, was the only American player not to log at least one minute in the victory against South Sudan, with coach Steve Kerr instead leaning on Adebayo and Anthony Davis down low. Each of Embiid’s 11 teammates played at least eight minutes.

Here’s more on why Embiid didn’t play:

Why didn’t Joel Embiid play for Team USA vs South Sudan?

After the game, Kerr said that Embiid didn’t play against South Sudan because the coach wanted Team USA to match up more effectively with South Sudan’s team speed, according to Ben Golliver of the Washington Post.

Kerr added that he’s planning on starting Embiid in the Americans’ group play finale Friday against Puerto Rico, along with LeBron James, Steph Curry, Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday.

"I don’t read social media," Kerr said when discussing stars who haven't played in certain matchups at the Paris Games, according to Golliver. I would hope our guys aren’t paying too much attention to that. That’s a regular season thing where the soap opera can carry the ratings. Here, it’s just win a damn gold."

Though it had a much easier time Wednesday, Team USA struggled with South Sudan in a July 20 pre-Olympics exhibition in London, with the Americans needing a game-winning shot attempt from Carlik Jones to go awry to hold on for a 101-100 victory.

Embiid started and played 18 minutes in the win, scoring 14 points on five-of-six shooting and pulling down seven rebounds. Team USA outscored South Sudan by 15 points in the time Embiid was on the court.

South Sudan made 14 3-pointers on 33 attempts in the exhibition, something Kerr noted when discussing its team speed.

Embiid’s absence came three days after Kerr did not play either Jayson Tatum or Tyrese Haliburton in Team USA’s 110-84 win against Serbia in their Olympic opener.

Though such well-known players failing to see the floor, even on a team featuring some of the biggest basketball stars in the world, has raised questions for fans watching the games, at least one prominent player on Team USA doesn’t see it as an issue.

"Last game, we had a champion and an all-NBA guy not play any minutes, and tonight we had an MVP not play any minutes,” Kevin Durant said after the South Sudan win, according to Golliver. “They didn’t complain. We had guys who stepped up and filled those roles perfectly."

Was Joel Embiid hurt?

Kerr made no reference after the game to Embiid's lack of playing time being the result of an injury.

Joel Embiid 2024 Paris Olympics stats

Here's a look at how Embiid has fared thus far in the 2024 Paris Olympics:

• USA 110, Serbia 84: 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 block and 2 turnovers in 11:21

• USA 103, South Sudan 86: Did not play — coach's decision

REQUIRED READING: Meet all the members of Team USA competing in the 2024 Olympics

Team USA 2024 Paris Olympics basketball schedule

With two games now complete, Team USA has one matchup remaining in group play in the 2024 Paris Olympics before moving on to the knockout round.

Here's a look at the Americans' schedule to this point:

• Sunday, July 28: USA 110, Serbia 84

• Wednesday, July 31: USA 103, South Sudan 86

• Saturday, August 3: vs. Puerto Rico, 11:15 a.m. ET

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why didn't Joel Embiid play vs South Sudan? Steve Kerr cited matchup concerns for Team USA