Joel Embiid wants his kids to know him as 'bad man' after winning 2023 NBA MVP award
Joel Embiid was named the 2023 NBA MVP on Tuesday, marking a monumental milestone for the dominant Philadelphia 76ers big man.
Shortly after Charles Barkley and the Inside the NBA crew broke the news, footage surfaced of Embiid sitting around his teammates as he received the news.
As the rest of the 76ers chanted "MVP!" Embiid couldn't help but cover his face and break down in an emotional moment that many believe was a long time coming. Quickly, James Harden and the rest of the team began to give him hugs and congratulate him in one of the best 'feel good' moments of the season.
For the Cameroonian superstar, who didn't begin playing basketball until the age of 15, he believes the accomplishment validates the hard work he's put in. According to Joel Embiid, that isn't all, he also wants to make sure he leaves his mark on the game so that his son knows his dad was a 'bad bad man'.
In a throwback video, he spoke about the impact of being a father, and how having a son fueled him to take his game to the next level. As the 2023 NBA MVP, it certainly sounds as though he was successful in doing so.
"What also changed me a lot is obviously having a kid, because that changed everything for me because I was like, the way I looked up to my dad, I also want my kid to look up to me like that so I want him to know his dad was a bad, man.
"So that's why after that I decided to go to another level where I was like 'alright I got to accomplish a lot of stuff' whether it's winning championships or individual awards, I got to make sure that he knows that his dad was something else."
app.link.nba.com/rewind-embiid-"I want him to know his dad was a bad, bad man."
Joel Embiid took his game to another level once his son was born. Now he's the #KiaMVP 🏆
Watch Embiid's NBA Rewind interview with Ahmad Rashad 📲 app.link.nba.com/rewind-embiid- https://t.co/p5vwTCeYIa
Joel Embiid's dominant MVP season, and return to the court
Joel Embiid has certainly taken his game to the next level this season. Over the course of 66 games played, Embiid averaged a career-high 33.1 points per game, and a career-high 4.2 assists per game. In addition, he averaged 10.2 rebounds per game to go along with some impressive defensive numbers.
What's arguably most impressive about this season for Joel Embiid was his career-high 54.8% shooting from the field. Compared to his numbers last year, Embiid managed to improve from 49.9%, marking a notable jump in efficiency.
Now, with the Philadelphia 76ers up 1-0 over the Boston Celtics, Embiid has revealed that he's going to return to the court for Game 2. The news seems somewhat surprising given that he still seems to be nursing the LCL sprain sustained in Game 3 of the first round.
Whether or not he's at 100%, the MVP's presence on the court is sure to help fuel the 76ers as they look to steal Game 2 on the road on Wednesday.