Getty Joel Embiid makes a move against Pascal Siakam in a Philadelphia 76ers game.
Joel Embiid’s bid for his first career MVP award continues to pick up steam, with a Philadelphia 76ers rival now offering his endorsement.
Embiid spent much of the season behind Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic in the MVP race, but has surged into the lead both in betting odds and NBA.com’s Kia MVP Ladder. Embiid has also started to pick up endorsements from pundits and players alike, including a recent one from Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam.
Joel Embiid’s Fellow Countryman Backs His MVP Bid
Appearing on “The Draymond Green Show” on April 6, Siakam spoke in favor of his Atlantic Division rival. Like Embiid, Siakam was born in Cameroon and said it would be “awesome” for someone from their country to take home the league’s top individual honor.
.@PSkills43 tells @Money23Green who he has for MVP this season
“If I had a vote for MVP, it’s gotta be my Cameroonian brother, it’s gotta be Embiid,” Siakam said. “He’s been doing it for years, but this year, doing it at an incredible level. He’s just playing unbelievable basketball, the team is winning, he’s doing it on both ends of the floor. And I’m sure there’s a lot of other people that deserve it like [Jayson Tatum] or [Nikola Jokic], and all these people. But for me, obviously I might be biased, but at the same time, it would be awesome to see someone from where I’m from win an MVP.”
Siakam added that he believes the Sixers star deserves the award on merit, but added that Embiid had been a personal inspiration to his own career.
Embiid is closing in on the best statistical season of his career, with a league- and career-best 33.1 points per game to go along with 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He has turned in a number of huge performances, including a 52-point outburst in Tuesday’s win over the Boston Celtics. Embiid made 20 of 25 shots in the game, adding 13 rebounds and six assists.
Joel Embiid Gaining Other Support for MVP
Siakam now joins a number of other players who have shown their support of Embiid in his MVP bid. Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry also picked the Sixers big man as his MVP candidate for the season.
“I would say Joel,” Curry told Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes when asked his thoughts on the MVP race. “Any person you pick, their body of work could be compared to Jokić or Giannis (Antetokoumpo). But Joel took a leap that I think a lot of people didn’t expect because he was dominant already. That leap turned heads and put Philly in a great position. If I had to pick, it would be him.”
Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard also said he believes Embiid deserves the MVP award for the way he has dominated the league and pushed the Sixers to one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference.
“I picked Joel Embiid because he’s – I feel like he’s been dominant all season long. His team is winning, I feel like he could’ve won it the last two years,” Lillard said. “I just think because, to me, he’s been the most dominant player. He’s been carrying his team.”