Joel Embiid began playing basketball as a teenager in Cameroon after a failed attempt at becoming a footballer. But when he turned his focus to the hardwood, Embiid immediately showcased generational talent, though frequent injuries threatened to derail his promising career.
Nicknamed “The Process” for enduring years of losing as the face of the Philadelphia 76ers rebuild, Embiid has now been rewarded for his perseverance. On Tuesday, the 29-year-old center was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2021–2022 season, edging out Denver Nuggets guard Nikola Jokic.
Coming off his second straight scoring title with 33.1 points per game, Embiid also averaged 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists, despite missing time at the end of the regular season and start of the playoffs with a sprained knee. Still, Embiid received 73 first-place MVP votes to Jokic’s 15 and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 12.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Embiid said through tears surrounded by teammates. “A lot of hard work. I’ve been through a lot. I’m not just talking about basketball. I’m talking about my life, my story, where I’m from, how I got here, and what I needed to do to get here.”
The 76ers are tied 1–1 in their second-round series against the Boston Celtics, though Embiid has promised to return for Friday’s Game 3 in Philadelphia, where fans will surely celebrate their homegrown MVP.
After being drafted third overall in 2014, Embiid overcame injuries that cost him his first two seasons to establish himself as one of the NBA’s premier big men. This season represented his finest work yet, including three 50-point games and 13 40-point performances.
“He’s so dominant,” 76ers coach Doc Rivers said after Embiid’s 52-point, 13-rebound effort against Boston in April. “I don’t know what else to say about him.”
Now the NBA’s MVP trophy will say plenty on Embiid’s behalf. The Process has paid off.
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