Joel Embiid is coming off the best season of his career. For the first time since entering the NBA, he was durable and stayed on the court for most of the season, ending all concerns about his multiple injuries.
Embiid was one of the leading MVP candidates throughout the year, dominating on both ends of the floor. Eventually, however, Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic won the award for the second straight season.
Unsurprisingly, the Philadelphia 76ers big man was far from satisfied with the voting outcome. Still, he congratulated Jokic for his accomplishment despite showing his frustration with the situation.
Embiid Doesn't Know What Else He Has To Do
"Obviously, congrats to Nikola, he deserved it, he had an amazing season," Embiid said. "There's no right or wrong, there was a lot of candidates. 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."
"It could have gone either way," Embiid added. "Giannis, Devin Booker being on the best team in the league by far, so I guess every year it's all about whatever you guys decide, whatever fits the narrative as far as who's going to win."
The Ring Is All That Matters
However, it's not like winning MVP was the only thing on Embiid's mind this season. He didn't campaign to win the award and was only focused on the bigger picture: Winning an NBA championship:
"I'm not mad, the last two years in a row I've put myself in that position, it didn't happen," Embiid said. "Last year I campaigned about it, this year I answered questions when I was asked, and the next, you know, few years before I retire it's almost like, I don't know what else I have to do to win it. It's really time to put all my energy into the bigger picture, which is to win the whole thing."
Embiid will need to channel his inner Shaq and Hakeem to turn the series vs. the Miami Heat around. The Philadelphia 76ers face elimination after falling to a 2-3 hole in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
