News broke this week that Nikola Jokic has been selected as the 2021-22 NBA MVP. This news did not go down well with fans, as many felt that Philadelphia 76ers’ big man Joel Embiid was deserving of the award.
The two were the leading candidates to win the award, but in the end, Jokic came out on top. And now, Embiid has addressed the MVP snub and Jokic getting the better of him in the MVP race.
Joel Embiid spoke about Nikola Jokic winning MVP over him. Embiid started out by congratulating Jokic for his win and said that Jokic had an excellent season. He added that either player could have won and it would have been the right call.
But then Embiid also addressed the fact that he played some of the best basketball of his career and still didn’t get the win, frustratingly saying he didn’t know what more he needed to do to win.
Joel Embiid shared his thoughts on the MVP award after Game 5. pic.twitter.com/L3ZlLjGrvD
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 11, 2022
“Congrats to Nikola (Jokic). He deserves it, he had an amazing season. There’s no right or wrong. There was a lot of candidates. I don’t know what else I have to do to win it… At this point, it’s whatever.”
Embiid also seemed frustrated about missing out, suggesting that he didn’t think he could win it over the next few years even if he played well. Considering the leap in quality Embiid has taken over the last few seasons, it would not at all be impossible for him to win the MVP.
In the end, Jokic was able to beat Embiid because he was healthier for most of the season, whereas Embiid did have a few struggles with injuries.
Jokic is now one of only three international players to win back-to-back MVPs, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Steve Nash. Jokic and Embiid have established themselves as the two best big men in the entire league.
