Joel Embiid offers first comments on not winning NBA MVP

Apr 16, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) before game one of the first round for the 2022 NBA playoffs against the Toronto Raptors at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Joel Embiid had another big season for the Philadelphia 76ers, though it didn’t result in the NBA MVP award.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Monday that Nikola Jokic won MVP for the second consecutive season. Even though the league has yet to make the official announcement, Embiid was asked Tuesday about the result.

The Sixers big man was disappointed about not winning MVP and did not hide his feelings.

“This is something that I knew weeks ago … I just knew it wasn’t gonna happen. Obviously, congrats to Nikola [Jokic]. He deserved it. He had an amazing season. There’s no right or wrong. There was a lot of candidates. I’m not mad. That’s two years in a row I put myself in that position. It didn’t happen,” Embiid said.

The Sixers big man then suggested he might need to change his focus.

“It’s almost like, at this point, it’s whatever. Whatever happens, happens. Last year, I campaigned about it. This year, I answered questions when I was asked. Like I say, I don’t know what else I have to do to win it and, to me, at this point, it’s whatever … not that I wasn’t focused on the bigger picture, but it’s really time to really put all my energy into the bigger picture, which is to win the whole thing.”

This would mark the second consecutive season that Embiid comes in second behind Jokic. Last year’s vote was not close, but this year’s was closer. It’s understandable why Embiid might need to change his focus so that he isn’t let down as much by not winning. He put together another great season and really couldn’t do much more. To still not win MVP after the season he had has to be devastating.