Getty Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was named All-NBA First Team despite receiving fewer overall votes than Joel Embiid. It wasn’t his fault. Unfortunately, that’s how the chips fall sometimes when dealing with the NBA’s antiquated system of sticking to positions.
Embiid did earn All-NBA Second Team honors, but the fact he wasn’t First Team rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. The Philadelphia 76ers star was the runner-up for MVP and won the league’s scoring crown. It wasn’t enough, even if Embiid was clearly one of the five best players this season. And Tatum agreed.
“I do think it should probably be position-less,” Tatum told reporters. “You know, Joel Embiid was second in MVP voting and made Second Team. It doesn’t really make too much sense, right? I think it should just be like the 15 best players. Obviously, with some guys in their contract years, with super-max deals involved, that’s tough. I’m sure that’s tough on the voters as well, so I think there’s a lot that could be changed in that area, in that regard.”
“Joel Embiid was second in MVP voting and made second team. Doesn’t really make too much sense.”
Jayson Tatum speaks out on the voting criteria for the All-NBA team
Tatum was referring to the $32.5 million incentive bonus he missed out on by not making All-NBA last season. Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), players coming off rookie deals are eligible for higher contract extensions if they qualify for All-NBA team the previous year. The result for Tatum? Well, he inked a max rookie extension in 2020 for $163 million. He could have earned $195 million if he made the All-NBA Team in 2019.
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National Media, Ex-Eagles Great Stick Up for Embiid
Tatum wasn’t the only one rushing to Embiid’s defense about the All-NBA snub. Kendrick Perkins quickly brought up the continued “disrespect” for the Sixers’ big man. Ditto for ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith who reminded everyone of all the drama Embiid had to endure this season.
There’s only been two players voted top 2 in MVP voting who didn’t make All-NBA First Team in the last 15 seasons:
Joel Embiid in 2020-21
Joel Embiid in 2021-22
Smh the league really hate Philly and the whole process. So they gonna take it out on Embiid by never rewarding right
Perhaps the most valid argument came from ex-Eagles great LeSean McCoy. He lobbied for a panel of former players to decide on the more important awards like MVP. Embiid should have been the MVP.
“A lot of these writers that vote for MVPs or they vote for All-Pros and all that, All-NBA, we gotta get some ex-players on there,” McCoy said on Mad Dog Radio. “Either current or ex-players to give you the perspective from a ballplayer because everybody I talk to, everybody I listen to on interviews, when they talk about MVP, they all give Joker [Nikola Jokic] the greatest love and respect, but they talk about the MVP was in Philadelphia.”
Embiid Campaigned for MVP, Eventually Gave Up
Embiid averaged 30.6 points and 11.7 rebounds per game during the 2021-22 campaign. He was the NBA’s scoring champion and one of the best defensive players in the league. He didn’t win MVP. The Sixers’ big man gave up hope on ever winning the award in his end-of-year comments.
“Last year, I campaigned about it,” Embiid said, via ESPN. “This year, I answered questions when I was asked, and in the next few years until I retire, it’s almost like … like I said, I wonder what else I have to do to win it, and to me, it’s like, at this point it’s like, it’s whatever.”