“MVPs can dress better than that": Stephen A. Smith critiques Joel Embiid's pregame outfit before 76ers-Nuggets showdown
Joel Embiid dropped 70 points on Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. Now, he is ready to face the Denver Nuggets in a clash between the MVPs.
However, Stephen A. Smith was not impressed with Embiid’s dressing style. Ahead of the game between the Nuggets and the Philadelphia 76ers, Embiid showed up in a sleeveless white jacket before the game.
While Malika Andrews was giving a preview of the game on ESPN, Smith suddenly remarked:
“MVP can dress better than that Joel!”
Despite other analysts who disagreed with Smith's opinion, he stood with it.
After winning the MVP in 2022-23, Embiid leads the race again. This season, he is averaging 36.0 points per game in 33 games. He is also shooting 53.9 percent from the field and 36.8 percent from beyond the arc.
He has been highly impactful from the field and led his team to a dominant season. While it cannot be established yet that the 76ers are the favorites to win the title, they are certainly one of the favorites.
Stephen A. Smith draws comparison between Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid
Stephen A. Smith has never shied away from giving Nikola Jokic his flowers. 'The Joker' won his first NBA championship last season after being crowned MVP twice in a row. However, looking at the level that Joel Embiid is playing, there is little doubt that he will go down as one of the greatest ever to do it.
In a recent episode of “The Stephen A. Smith Show,” the analyst compared Jokic and Embiid.
"The brother's 5-1 in opening playoff series," Smith said. "He's 0-5 in Eastern Conference seminfinals series. 0-5. That means he's never been to a conference finals, which means he's never been to an NBA Finals, which means he's never won a championship. Jokic has.”
When compared with Embiid, Jokic definitely has a better resume. He is a two-time league MVP, an NBA champion and a Finals MVP. However, despite Embiid's dominance on both ends of the floor, his resume pales in comparison.
Joel Embiid won his maiden MVP last season. He has never won a championship or been to an NBA Finals. Jokic has a complete game in getting his teammates involved, and it is perhaps one of the factors Embiid might have against himself.