“That helped a lot and I’ve changed a lot” - MVP Joel Embiid opens up on how the Inside the NBA crew pushed him to the greatest award in the NBA
Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid was named the winner of the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for the 2022-23 season on Tuesday. Embiid beat out Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo for the award.
Embiid did so comfortably, securing 73 out of 100 available first-place votes. The win marked the first MVP award for the superstar big man, who finished as the runner-up the previous two seasons. Following the announcement of his MVP win on 'Inside the NBA', Embiid spoke about his massive accomplishment:
“I don't even know where to start," Embiid said.
“It's been a long time coming, a lot of hard work. I've been through a lot, and I'm not just talking about basketball, I’m talking about everything in life.
“My story. Where I come from, how I got here, and what it took for me to be here. So, it feels good. I don't know what to say. It's amazing.”
Embiid was then congratulated by NBA legend-turned-TNT analyst Shaquille O’Neal. Embiid expressed his gratitude to Shaq. He then told the story of how the Big Diesel and his 'Inside the NBA' co-hosts motivated him following a matchup against the Boston Celtics:
“Thank you, big fella. Appreciate it,” Embiid said.
“I still remember the conversation we had a couple of years ago. I think it was three or four years ago. It was actually here in Boston, we had just played Boston.
“You guys were all on me about I gotta be dominant, and to this day, I still remember that conversation. That helped a lot and I’ve changed a lot, when it came to the way I went about my business. So thank you.”
Joel Embiid averaged a career-high 33.1 points to go along with 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game on 54.8% shooting over 66 games. He led the Sixers to the third-best record in the NBA at 54-28.
Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid winning his first MVP
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers was also interviewed about Joel Embiid winning his first MVP on Tuesday. Rivers spoke about how deserving Embiid is of the award after all the hard work he’s put in over the years:
“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,” Rivers said.
“He embodies everything that the honor 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.”
Also read: How does Joel Embiid's MVP season compare to the greatest centers? Taking a closer look