Joel Embiid is a 2-time MVP runner-up and the reigning scoring champion of the NBA, on pace to ensure he retains that spot for a second consecutive season. Despite all of this, Embiid seems to always be overlooked for someone ‘better’ than him.
Embiid hasn’t been able to lock down a spot on All-NBA First Team in the last 2 seasons because of Nikola Jokic and was overlooked for an All-Star starter spot this season for Jayson Tatum. Keeping Embiid off the list has generated controversy, with Daryl Morey even blaming Boston media. As a result, Chris Mannix has responded fiercely to the 76ers President.
🗣️ @SIChrisMannix had a STRONG reaction to Daryl Morey blaming the "shameless" Boston media for Joel Embiid's All-Star starter snub pic.twitter.com/jx3VIvN3Ih
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 30, 2023
“First of all, it’s pandering. He’s on a local station doing his own thing… The media voted Joel Embiid number 3, the players voted him number 3, the fans voted him number 4. So maybe Daryl, you should go to your marketing department about how Philadelphia, population 1.5 million, was outvoted by Milwaukee, population 500,000. He’s talking about someone like me, who voted Joel Embiid as a starter over Giannis Antetokounmpo, or he’s talking about Bill Simmons, or he’s talking about Ryen Russilo.”
Mannix further attacked Morey for how he left the Houston Rockets and called him shameless, as a direct jab to Morey calling reporters shameless for snubbing Embiid, when in fact, Embiid had been snubbed by the fans and not reporters.
Did Joel Embiid Deserve The Spot Over Jayson Tatum?
The only real concern with Joel Embiid‘s case as a starter was the time he missed, as Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kevin Durant have all played more games for their teams. Giannis and KD were not going to be removed from the starters list anyway, so the last spot essentially came down to Embiid and Tatum.
Tatum has a lot more help on his team, with Jaylen Brown also having a shot at being a starter. Philly will likely have another All-Star in James Harden as well, so the team argument seems to be evening out.
Tatum is being rewarded for being the best player on the best team in the NBA, which is standard in the NBA and deserves his spot. All this proves is that voting needs to stop position-locking the players and leaving players on the bench like this.
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