76ers Center Joel Embiid Wins 1st Career NBA MVP Award
It was 2010 when Joel Embiid first picked up a basketball at the age of 15 (2010). By 2014, he was the No. 3 pick in the NBA Draft. Nine years later, after trusting the process and swaying the voters, the 7-footer is officially the NBA MVP. Embiid led Philadelphia to the No. 3 seed in the East this season while putting up some eye-popping numbers, including 13 40-point games. Embiid finally beat out the other big men who split the last four MVP awards â Nikola Jokic (Nuggets) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks).
Joel Embiidâs 2022-23 Season
33.1 PPG | 10.2 RPG | 4.2 APG | 54.8% FG
2022-23 NBA MVP Voting
1. Joel Embiid (PHI): 73 1st-Place Votes (915 points)
2. Nikola Jokic (DEN): 15 1st-Place Votes (674 points)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (MIL): 12 1st-Place Votes (606 points)
4. Jayson Tatum (BOS): 89 4th-Place Votes (280 points)
5. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (OKC): 28 5th-Place Votes (46 points)
Trust the Process
The MVP announcement brought Embiid to tears while watching with his teammates at a hotel in Boston before tonightâs Game 2 against the Celtics. And if you know Embiidâs story, youâll know that this was a long time coming. The Sixers’ big fella nearly walked away from basketball after multiple injuries early in his career and after losing his brother in a car accident. The famous Philly mantra â âTrust the Processâ â came to life early in Embiidâs career with the Sixers banking on his ascension to stardom. His nickname, âThe Process,â finally feels complete with a little bit of hardware and recognition. The only thing missing? A âchip.
Fun Fact:Â Embiid is the fifth player in 76ers history to win MVP, joining Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, and Allen Iverson. Thatâs some elite company.
Congrats to Joel Embiid, the 2022-23 NBA MVP.
All 2022-23 NBA Awards
MVP: Joel Embiid (76ers)
DPOY: Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
Rookie of the Year: Paolo Banchero (Magic)
6th Man: Malcolm Brogdon (Celtics)
Most Improved: Lauri Markkanen (Jazz)
Clutch POY: DeâAaron Fox (Kings)
Coach of the Year: Mike Brown (Kings)
Additional Storylines
SI:Â Joel Embiid Is One of the Most Improbable MVPs Ever
Yahoo! Sports:Â Watch: Joel Embiidâs Reaction to Winning MVP is a Tearjerker
USA Today:Â LeBron James Gets No MVP Votes for 1st Time in Career
Image via Giphy
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