Neither LeBron James nor Stephen Curry: Joel Embiid names the best player in the NBA

One of the biggest debates in the NBA has to do with who’s the greatest player in the league. The answer often revolves between LeBron James and Stephen Curry, but according to Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic is above everyone else right now.

“They just won a championship so they deserve to hold that title. Best player in the league in Nikola — I always say amazing to watch and even more fun to play against,” the 76ers star said, via ClutchPoints. “It’s fun to see other bigs dominate the game the way it’s been happening whether it’s him, some of the other guys. Fun matchup. We excited about it.”

Embiid’s kind words for Jokic come right before the Sixers welcome the Nuggets to Philadelphia in a highly-anticipated game. Denver has already won the championship Philly has been craving for all these years, so it could be a nice measuring stick to Embiid and company’s title aspirations.

Right now, neither LeBron or Curry are going through the best of times. While the Los Angeles Lakers are trying to bounce back following a poor start, the Golden State Warriors seemed to hit rock bottom for the first time in years.

Nikola Jokic guarding Joel Embiid in 2019

Both the King and Steph are the only few bright spots of their respective teams, but the lack of help they’re getting from their teammates may be proving costly. In the meantime, Jokic and Embiid are definitely having more fun while they take much of the spotlight.

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Embiid-Jokic, a rivalry for prominence

Jokic and Embiid have shown nothing but respect for each other all these years, though they’ve been involved in a battle for recognition in recent times. While the Sixers star took home the last MVP award, the Joker claimed it in the previous two years.

The rivalry has certainly stayed on the court, but that doesn’t make the competition between them less interesting. It was Jokic who stood in Embiid’s way to the MVP until 2023, and he also did what Joel has yet to accomplish, which is to lead his team all the distance and deliver a championship.

The Nuggets and Sixers find themselves in similar situations this season, with both teams sitting third in their respective conferences. Though Philadelphia has fierce competition in the East, Denver represents a tough opposition they could eventually face in an NBA Finals. So, apart from the Embiid-Jokic duel, fans will be thrilled to see if the 76ers have what it takes to beat another contender, who also happen to be the defending champs.