Jayson Tatum, Nikola Jokic and finally Joel Embiid. The race for last season's MVP gave rise to a tough battle, particularly between the two pivots in the final weeks, ultimately won by the Sixers. However, a new competition between the last two winners of the trophy will not take place. Quite simply because the reigning MVP has not played enough games this season.
With only 36 matches played so far, while almost twice as many are needed now (65), the native of Yaoundé does not doesn't seem really upset not to be in the debate today. Better : ” I'm happy to no longer be in the debate. This discussion has been toxic for a long time, but I'll be honest: this year it's pretty boring. This year, there is not enough toxicity. »
A debate that causes… debate
An irony which directly echoes what has been said in the past in this race for trophies, notably last year, when Kendrick Perkins, for example, explained that the panel of voters was too “white” (forcing ESPN to apologize), and that he thus favored Nikola Jokic to the detriment of Joel Embiid.
We remember that Nikola Jokic's coach in Denver, Mike Malone, found that “The MVP debate has taken a very ugly and very bad turn, and I think it's disgusting a lot of people, including Jokic. There are so many guys who could win the MVP. […] But what's happening in today's society is that everyone – and this reminds me of when I was a college coach – is into denigration. It's not about promoting your player. This is about bashing everyone else, and it's just ridiculous. »
Obviously, the current debate, which mainly revolves again around the Serb as well as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic, has evolved in the right direction according to Joel Embiid.
This one finds conservation “ quite amusing, and it's also, at one point, quite bad. But I'm glad I'm not there, I'm focusing on getting back into shape. All the contestants are great players and they all deserve to win. It's just a shame that only one person has to win. »
If it has already happened at the level of the All-Star Game or the Rookie Of The Year, there have never been two winners for the MVP at the end of a regular season.
| Joel Embiid | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2016-17 | PHL | 31 | 25 | 46.6 | 36.7 | 78.3 | 2.0 | 5.9 | 7.8 | 2.1 | 3.6 | 0.9 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 20.2 |
| 2017-18 | PHL | 63 | 30 | 48.3 | 30.8 | 76.9 | 2.3 | 8.7 | 11.0 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 0.6 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 22.9 |
| 2018-19 | PHL | 64 | 34 | 48.4 | 30.0 | 80.4 | 2.5 | 11.1 | 13.6 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 27.5 |
| 2019-20 | PHL | 51 | 30 | 47.7 | 33.1 | 80.7 | 2.8 | 8.9 | 11.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 1.3 | 23.0 |
| 2020-21 | PHL | 51 | 31 | 51.3 | 37.7 | 85.9 | 2.2 | 8.4 | 10.6 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 3.1 | 1.4 | 28.5 |
| 2021-22 | PHL | 68 | 34 | 49.9 | 37.1 | 81.4 | 2.2 | 9.6 | 11.7 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 1.1 | 3.2 | 1.5 | 30.6 |
| 2022-23 ★ | PHL | 66 | 35 | 54.8 | 33.0 | 85.7 | 1.7 | 8.4 | 10.2 | 4.2 | 3.1 | 1.0 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 33.1 |
| 2023-24 | PHL | 35 | 34 | 53.1 | 35.7 | 88.7 | 2.6 | 8.6 | 11.1 | 5.7 | 2.9 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 35.0 |
| Total | 429 | 32 | 50.4 | 33.8 | 82.6 | 2.3 | 8.9 | 11.2 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 27.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
