Last week, Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid made his long-awaited return to the hardwood after missing two months with a meniscus injury. The extended absence “took a toll” on him mentally and emotionally. The Sixers fell into a hole themselves, falling to eighth in the Eastern Conference standings with him sidelined.
However, there’s been at least one silver lining.
“I’m happy I’m not in the [MVP] conversation,” Embiid admits.
Joel Embiid Slams ‘Toxic’ MVP Conversation
“You know, that conversation has been toxic for a long time,” Embiid says, explaining his unexpected stance on MVP talks. “But I’ll be honest, this year has been kind of boring. This year, there’s not enough toxicity going around. It’s pretty fun and at some point, it’s pretty bad too. I’m glad I’m nowhere near to that.”
The reigning MVP with some interesting comments on the current MVP race 👀 pic.twitter.com/TF17491NmX
— NBC Sports Philadelphia (@NBCSPhilly) April 5, 2024
Many descriptives can be thrown at Embiid when discussing his personality, but his competitive drive is one of the most discussed. A student of the Black Mamba Academy, Embiid has sought to mirror the late Kobe Bryant’s spirit. It’s for this reason that Embiid’s comments are most surprising.
Aside from that, Embiid has been an MVP finalist for the past three seasons, winning the award in 2023. His start to the 2023-24 season had him looking like he could repeat. He may have remained in the MVP conversation if there wasn’t a minimum game requirement, averaging 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.2 steals per game.
Nonetheless, Embiid is correct in his concern about MVP discourse. Accolades and agendas often go hand in hand. Whether it’s fans, media members, or athletes, a player winning or failing to win any given award is used as confirmation bias.
In the case of Embiid, these last three seasons have seen people trying to determine if he or Denver Nuggets international star Nikola Jokic was the superior center. Embiid has posted dominant numbers in the regular season and has a larger two-way impact. Jokic emerged as the better player due to his efficiency, playmaking, and postseason performances.
The comparisons between the two are to be expected since they’re marquee talents who play the same position. However, the fan bases of the two players and their teams engage in baseless arguments that ignore the merits of one to praise the abilities of the other. It’s, in a word, toxic.
All Deserving Candidates
At this juncture, Embiid says his focus is “on getting back healthy.”
Nonetheless, he’s paying attention to the MVP race, and believes they’re “all great candidates.”
“They all deserve to win,” Embiid considers. “It’s just unfortunate that only one person has to win.”
Now a two-time MVP, Jokic is the favorite to win the 2024 NBA MVP Award. Oklahoma City Thunder playmaker Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been among the favorites for the award all season. Dallas Mavericks sensation Luka Doncic has been picking up steam as an MVP candidate since the All-Star Break.
