This season’s MVP race was incredibly close, with Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid neck and neck till the end of the season. Giannis Antetokounmpo is also in the conversation but by the end of the regular season, it seemed like Nikola Jokic had developed a lead over the other two competitors. A recent occurrence has put that into doubt though, with the MVP due to be announced soon.
After Joel Embiid returned in Game 3 of the Philadelphia 76ers series against the Miami Heat, there was an article about him on the NBA’s official website. The article mentioned Embiid as the Kia MVP, something that caught the attention of fans. While it was edited and corrected after a point, there is a belief that it points toward Embiid being announced as the MVP of the league when the award is made official.
Updated to “Kia MVP Finalist.” 👀 pic.twitter.com/IDd1cP9wUv
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) May 7, 2022
If he is given the award, Embiid would be as deserving an MVP as anybody else, he has single-handedly carried the Sixers to the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference with his stellar play despite all the distraction caused by the Ben Simmons saga in Philadelphia. His dominant play on both ends of the floor makes him a worthy candidate, and he has postseason success to back up his claim, even though the MVP is very much a regular-season award.
Embiid averaged 30.6 points per game during the season, claiming the NBA scoring title along with 11.7 rebounds and a career-high 4.2 assists per game. There can be no argument made to suggest that he would be the wrong choice, although the race has been as close as at any point during the history of the NBA. Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo have both won MVPs in the recent past, and Jokic’s team not having as much success as Embiid’s will likely also have been a factor.
