off base to compare. I don’t know exactly how Tim Duncan felt about not representing his homeland, but I know how Puerto Ricans feel about representing the US over Puerto Rico and it is very rare. Sounded like Duncan had the same kind of emotion and yet the US still needed him even though he wasn’t born in the 50 US states. However, like you said, it isn’t the same as Hakeem or Embiid.

The better comparison is still Hakeem in 1996. The US wanted him because he was an MVP level center and I don’t think it reflected the overall talent in the US that they’d want him. Embiid is an MVP caliber big man that the US had a chance to get.