On May 2nd, Philidelphia 76ers star big man Joel Embiid was announced as this NBA season’s Most Valuable Player. Embiid won the award over some other spectacular candidates, 2x MVP Nikola Jokic and 2x MVP Giannis  Antetokounmpo. This is the first MVP award that Embiid has won.

Joel Embiid has been a star and the face of the 76ers for many years. This year in particular, Embiid had his best season stat-wise and was able to lead his team to a 54-28 record, taking them to the Conference semi-finals in the playoffs, where they now face the Boston Celtics.

Embiid averaged 33.1 points per game making him the number one scorer in the NBA during the regular season. He also averaged 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 blocks per game. Embiid’s leadership and incredible stats are what led him to be named the 2022 – 2023 MVP.

Although he was the rock of the team, Embiid did not have to carry it alone. Throughout the regular season and the playoffs, he had backup from former MVP James Harden, young player Tyrese Maxey, and Veteran Tobias Harris. In game one versus the Boston Celtics, they had to be able to fill in his role, with Harden leading the team with 45 points. This led to a clutch last-minute win.

Wayne Hills student and Sixers fan Ishak Korkmaz said, “Embiid is so good at scoring with ease and it’s amazing how he can also play good defense and still run with the offense. He ended the season a top five big man defended and scoring leader.”

The 76ers and Joel Embiid will be facing the Boston Celtics in the 3rd game of the Eastern Semifinals on May 5th at 7:30 p.m. streaming on ESPN. With the series tied 1-1, Embiid and the Sixers must win this crucial game to put themselves ahead.