“They don’t care? That’s Bulls**t,” Joel Embiid claims winning the MVP is the ULTIMATE recognition
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid feels that the MVP means a lot as and slams anyone who says they don't care about it
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Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid is currently the frontrunner to win the NBA league MVP, and in his sit-down interview on the Headliners with Rachel Nicholls, he explains why the MVP is so important. Embiid claimed that the MVP matters to every candidate and said – “If people tell you that they don’t care about it, they’re lying.” Joel Embiid has finished as the runner-up to Nikola Jokic for the last two years running.
“That’s the best award you can get… But if I were to win it, it would validate all the work I put in,” said Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers all-star has led the league in scoring for the second consecutive season averaging 30+ points per game in both. Embiid gets criticized for his underperformance in the playoffs, but his regular-season dominance is unquestionable.
“If you get that recognition, it validates that you didn’t waste your time… If someone tells you that they don’t care. That’s bulls**t,” concluded Embiid. The versatile big man will look to stop Nikola Jokic from becoming the first player since Larry Bird to win three MVPs in a row. If not Jokic, even Giannis Antetokounmpo, is in the race for his third MVP. Embiid has been the leader of the straw polls so far, and the feeling around the league is that he will finally win it this year.
The initial MVP votes show Joel Embiid firmly in the lead
The NBA vote tracker has revealed that over 70% of the MVP votes are in favor of Joel Embiid. The 2x runner-up has 25 first-place votes, five second-place votes, and one third-place vote from the initial voting results. Kendrick Perkins and JJ Reddick argued on national TV a few months ago over Embiid and Jokic winning the MVP, yet both have voted for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
These are just the confirmed ballots so far; many more voters and votes will pour in before the decision is made. However, for Embiid to lose from here, it looks pretty unlikely. The 6x all-star is averaging a career-high in points, assists, and field goal percentage in 66 games this season. From the 2023/24 season, 65 games will become the minimum for MVP awards, and Embiid would have been cutting it close.
Before Embiid gets ready to accept his MVP award, he must take on the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the playoffs. The 76ers have yet to make the conference finals in their time with Embiid despite him averaging over 25 PPG in four of the last five seasons. Embiid will build on a conference semi-finals appearance last season against a new-look but improving Brooklyn Nets team.
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Anuj Shrikanth Iyer
(290 Articles Published)