Philadelphia 76ers centre and league scoring champion Joel Embiid has earned his first NBA MVP trophy, edging two-time winner Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
The 29-year-old from Yaounde, Cameroon, averaged 33.1 factors to win his second straight scoring title, averaged 10.2 rebounds and tied a profession excessive with 4.2 assists per recreation. Embiid performed in 66 video games, the second-highest whole of his profession, however once more has been hit with accidents within the playoffs.
Embiid has been sidelined with a sprained proper knee that value him one recreation of the playoff sweep towards Brooklyn and the opening recreation of the Eastern Conference semi-finals towards Boston, which was received by Philadelphia on Monday evening.
Jokic completed runner-up and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was third.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Embiid stated on Tuesday.
“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 come from. How I got here and what it took for me to be here.”
The third total choose of the 2014 draft, Embiid missed his first two full seasons with accidents earlier than settling in as one of many prime large males of his technology.
Embiid’s newest damage may very well be the deciding issue within the 76ers’ chase for the championship. The Sixers are attempting to win their first NBA title since 1983 and advance previous the second spherical for the primary time since 2001 — which was the final time a Sixer received the MVP award.
Allen Iverson was named league MVP in 2001. Other 76ers to seize the league’s prime particular person award: Julius Erving (1981), Moses Malone (1983) and Wilt Chamberlain (1966-1968).
“I am absolutely thrilled for Joel on winning the MVP award. He is the real deal and deserves every bit of recognition that comes his way,” Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers stated.
“He embodies everything that the honour stands for. His drive to improve is unmatched, and like the saying ‘a dream doesn’t become reality through magic, it takes hard work’, he’s put in the work.”
Sixers followers can get pleasure from Embiid, who turned an American citizen final 12 months, for years. His four-year, $196 million ($A294m) contract extension would not kick in till subsequent season and takes him via 2026-27.
He holds profession averages of 27.2 factors and 11.2 rebounds in 394 profession begins. He’s a four-time All-NBA choice and three-time All-Defensive Team choice.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
