Coming from the words of Joel Embiid already, those who deny their regard for the Most Valuable Player award aren’t convincing enough to be believed in.
In an interview on Headliners with Rachel Nichols, Embiid noted his thoughts about those who reject their consideration for the MVP award. For him, the said honor is too lucrative just to be neglected as the ultimate fruit of their labor.
“One thing I’ll say is that if people tell you that they don’t care about it, they’re lying. That’s the best award you can get as a basketball player, it means a lot,” Embiid told Nichols (h/t HoopsHype). “If I were to win it, it would validate all the work that I put in. That’s why I cared about it, because you put in so much work and if you get that recognition, it just validates that you didn’t waste your time.
“But like I said, if someone tells you that they don’t care, that’s bullshit.”
Embiid is on the verge of potentially winning the first MVP award of his career this season, averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 boards, and 4.2 assists while shooting 54.8 percent from the field. He also powered the Philadelphia 76ers to a top-three finish heading to the postseason.
After coming up short against Nikola Jokic in the last two seasons, winning this year’s MVP plum will truly be the most gratifying achievement for the Cameroonian sensation.
