Getty Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
For two years in a row, Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid has come tantalizingly close to being named the NBA‘s Most Valuable Player. And on both occasions, he fell short of Nuggets unicorn Nikola Jokic.
And this season has proven to be the trilogy between Embiid and Jokic. But unlike years past, where it felt like Embiid faced an uphill battle to defeat Jokic, Embiid enters the late-season stretch as the betting favorite to win the award.
And if you ask Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry, a two-time MVP himself, Embiid has been the league’s most valuable player this season.
“I would say Joel,” Curry told Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes when asked to weigh in on the MVP race.
As for why Curry chose Embiid, the former Davidson Wildcat pointed to Embiid’s elevated production this season.
“Any person you pick, their body of work could be compared to Jokić or Giannis (Antetokoumpo),” Curry said. “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.”
Embiid faces his last major regular-season test on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics. A strong showing by the big man could help cement his claim for the MVP award.
Curry won back-to-back MVP awards in 2015 and 2016. He’s also not the only one lately to come out in support of Embiid recently.
Damian Lillard Praises Joel Embiid in MVP Race
While Damian Lillard may not have an MVP award in his trophy case like Embiid, he does have a slew of top-ten finishes, including a top-four finish in 2017.
This season, however, belongs to Embiid, according to Lillard.
“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.”
Lillard also invoked a familiar, if not statistically-significant argument as to why the award should not be given to Jokic for the third year in a row.
“You can’t continue to give it to a guy who’s won it twice in a row. Especially when you have a guy like this, that’s performing at the same level or maybe even higher. He also didn’t get it in one of the last two times he was at that level. I just think that’s not how it should work.”
While much of the MVP discourse has revolved around Jokic and Embiid, a third name cannot be forgotten: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Mike Budenholzer Calls Out Joel Embiid’s MVP Candidacy
Before Jokic made winning back-to-back MVPs unfashionable, Antetokoumpo was a two-time winner in 2021 and 2022.
And according to his coach, the Greek Freak should be in line for his third MVP award this year.
“I mean we certainly feel like Giannis is the MVP,” Mike Budenholzer said about the NBA’s MVP race, per the Cube Rubik YouTube channel. “I think what our team has been able to do and we’ve still got some more work to have the best record in the league, but the best player, best record, what he does on both ends of the court, the rebounding, the blocked shots, the defense, the guarding on the perimeter, he does everything. He play makes, attacks, gets to the free throw line. So we feel like he’s in the conversation or he should be the guy. But I think he’s focused on our team, he’s focused on winning. His mind is in a good place and hopefully, everybody sees the MVP kind of season and performance he’s had all year.”
If Embiid wins the MVP award, he’ll be the first Sixer to win the honor since Allen Iverson in 2001.