Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has received the 2023 KIA NBA Most Priceless Participant Award, which is the primary of his profession. The league introduced the outcomes simply because the month of Might was getting underway, however the entire votes have been due on the finish of the common season.

Embiid campaigned for the award all year long, and the vote really didn’t prove as shut as what was anticipated. The 76ers star led the NBA in scoring this season and has proven regular enchancment all year long.

The NBA workforce stats do are likely to matter when voters check out voting for this award, and the nice season for the Philadelphia 76ers mattered on this resolution. Whereas getting the Sixers into the playoffs helped Embiid safe the award, it was his particular person play on offense that received over the voters.

Embiid Put Up Large Numbers

It took some time for Joel Embiid to begin to actually dominate on the NBA stage, however he has proven regular enchancment over the previous couple of years. All the pieces appeared to click on this season as Embiid was in a position to dominate opponents on a nightly foundation.

As talked about above, Embiid was in a position to lead the league in scoring this season as he poured in 33.1 factors per sport. Since Embiid hardly ever shoots any photographs from behind the arc, almost all of that work was carried out within the paint.

Embiid was additionally stable on the boards as he completed eighth within the league by grabbing 10.2 rebounds per sport. Voters have a tendency to take a look at some defensive numbers when voting for the award, and Embiid has emerged as among the finest gamers within the league on that finish of the ground as nicely.

Accidents

Accidents have been a little bit of a priority for Embiid all year long, as he was solely in a position to play in 66 video games. That was one purpose that the voting was in query a bit, as different gamers have been in a position to get on the ground extra this season.

Embiid is such a tricky cowl for opponents as a result of he can put the ball within the basket in numerous other ways. He shot almost 86 % from the free throw line this season, and he makes groups pay in the event that they attempt to foul him and put him on the free throw line.

Nice Trio of Finalists

Earlier than the NBA introduced the winner of the MVP Award, the league introduced the three finalists primarily based on the voting outcomes. Becoming a member of Embiid within the group of finalists was Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Each Jokic and Antetokounmpo are earlier winners of the MVP Award, together with Jokic as he had received two straight awards. Many NBA specialists believed that this was going to be a decent battle between Jokic and Embiid, however that wasn’t the case when the ultimate votes have been revealed.

Embiid obtained 73 of the 100 first-place votes, whereas Jokic was solely in a position to decide up 15 of them. There may need been a little bit of voter fatigue as Jokic didn’t obtain a ton of consideration regardless of averaging a triple-double from the middle place.

The ultimate level complete for Embiid checked in at 915 factors, and Jokic completed in second place with simply 674 complete factors. Antetokounmpo obtained the opposite 12 first-place votes, and his level complete got here in at 606 factors.

Jayson Tatum completed in fourth place for the KIA NBA MVP Award as he collected 280 factors. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander obtained the fifth most factors for the award, as his complete got here in at 46.

One factor to notice concerning the 2023 NBA MVP voting was that LeBron James didn’t obtain a single vote for the primary time in his profession. James did miss loads of time this season, and Anthony Davis emerged as the most effective participant on the Los Angeles Lakers.

First-Ever Winner of Michael Jordan Trophy

Not solely was this the first-ever MVP Award for Joel Embiid, however he’ll ceaselessly be referred to as the primary participant to hoist the Michael Jordan Trophy. The league introduced a number of new modifications to particular person awards, and naming the MVP Award after the most effective participant in league historical past was a simple name.

Jordan was a five-time winner of the MVP Award throughout his profession, and he really might have received a number of extra alongside the best way. This new trophy is product of bronze and encompasses a crystal basketball that the bust of the Corridor of Famer is reaching for.

The NBA labored exhausting to make this trophy signify the legendary profession of Michael Jordan, and it’s 23.6 inches tall and likewise weighs 23.6 factors. 23 is the quantity that was famously worn by Jordan, and he received six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.

The opposite new names of trophies launched by the NBA embrace:

• Jerry West Trophy: KIA NBA Clutch Participant of the Yr
• Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy: KIA Defensive Participant of the Yr
• Wilt Chamberlain Trophy: KIA NBA Rookie of the Yr
• John Havlicek Trophy: KIA NBA Sixth Man of the Yr
• George Mikan Trophy: KIA NBA Most Improved Participant

Embiid Moved to Tears Throughout Ceremony

Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers had little hassle getting previous the Brooklyn Nets within the First Spherical of the Japanese Convention Playoffs, because it was a four-game sweep. Philadelphia was really in a position to end off that sequence with out the league MVP as Embiid was out of the lineup with an harm.

Embiid missed the primary sport of the second-round sequence in opposition to the Boston Celtics, however his teammates have been nonetheless in a position to ship a win. The NBA MVP was again within the lineup for the following two video games, however he was unable to push his workforce to a victory.

The First Spherical Sequence win by the Sixers allowed the workforce an opportunity to honor Embiid earlier than a house playoff sport. That celebration passed off earlier than Recreation 3 of the sequence with the Boston Celtics, and it was clear that Embiid was feeling fairly emotional about receiving the award.

Embiid grabbed the microphone to deal with the gang, and he really gave the impression to be holding it collectively throughout his first few phrases. That every one modified when he invited his son on the ground, and Embiid was moved to tears throughout the ceremony.

Conclusion

Life within the NBA hasn’t all the time come straightforward for Embiid, and the middle really admitted that he contemplated retirement early in his profession. He has been in a position to bounce again after a slew of crushing accidents, however he has cemented his place as among the finest gamers to ever put on the Philadelphia 76ers uniform.