Philadelphia 76ers all-star center Joel Embiid has won the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award for the 2022-23 season after finishing ahead of Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo for the league’s top individual honor.
The big Cameroonian who had a dominant season finally claims the prestigious trophy after finishing second the past two seasons behind Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic.
All through the season, it was never cast in stone who was going to win the award after what seemed like a tight race between the top contenders.
Surprisingly, Embiid had a blowout victory after he garnered 73 of the 100 available first-place votes (915 total). Nikola Jokic in second place had 15 first-place votes (674 total), while Giannis Antetokounmpo got 12 first-place votes (606). Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum finished fourth, and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was fifth.
The 29-year-old had another incredible year in view, as he lead the NBA in scoring for a second straight season while improving his efficiency — averaging career highs of 33.1 points and 54.8% shooting, to go along with 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.
Reacting to the victory, he said: “I don’t even know where to start, It’s been a long time coming, a lot of hard work. I’ve been through a lot, and I’m not just talking about basketball … it feels good. I don’t know what to say. It’s amazing.”
The win for Embiid makes it the third consecutive season a center has won the MVP award, after Nikola Jokic had won it for the past two seasons.
This is also the fifth consecutive year for an international player to win the MVP award, dating back to Antetokounmpo’s victory in the 2019 season. Before the last five years, the only international players to win the MVP were Hakeem Olajuwon in 1993-94, Steve Nash (2005-06) and Dirk Nowitzki in (2006-07).
Jokic, who finished n second place nearly became the first center — and only the third player ever, after Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson — to average a triple-double for a season, after he finished the season averaging 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds and 9.8 assists while shooting 63% from the field for the Western Conference-leading Nuggets.
Embiid victory also denied him a chance to become just the fourth player in NBA history to win three straight MVP awards, joining Larry Bird — the last player to do it (1984-86) — Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.
Antetokounmpo, two-time Mvp finishing in third place averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists for Milwaukee this season. He also led the Bucks to their best record in the league.
The last Philadelphia 76ers player to win the league is Allen Iverson when he was named league MVP in 2001. The other 76ers to capture the league’s top individual award are Julius Erving, 1981; Moses Malone, 1983; and Wilt Chamberlain, 1966-1968.
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