Joel Embiid: Forever an MVP
A moment nearly nine years in the making.
Adam Aaronson, whose legal name is Sixers Adam (@SixersAdam on Twitter), covers the Sixers for The Rights To Ricky Sanchez. He believes cantaloupe is the best food in existence, and is brought to you by the Official Realtor of The Process, Adam Ksebe.
You probably remember where you were and how you felt on August 18th, 2015. News broke that Joel Embiid, the Sixers’ injury-plagued top-three pick in 2014’s draft who missed his entire first season, was set to miss all of year two of his career as well. Dealing with foot issues that seem to be constant, Embiid had officially gone from a prized prospect to a cautionary tale.
Almost eight years have passed since then -- and so much has changed.
A sudden roar startled me. The date was October 26, 2016, and I was at the Wells Fargo Center, walking toward my seat in the opening minutes of the Sixers’ season-opening game. The deafening sound of cheers confused me. I looked at the scoreboard awaiting the replay of whatever highlight had just occurred.
There was never a replay, because there was never a highlight. 19 seconds into the game, Embiid rebounded a missed shot. With your eyes closed, you would have guessed he dunked on Russell Westbrook at the buzzer to win an NBA Finals game.
The vast majority of Sixers basketball over the last many years was far from exciting. But Embiid, finally making the NBA debut many doubted would exist, instantly connected with the crowd in a way that you could quickly tell was special.
Embiid went on to nod confidently to the crowd after making his first basket. An ensuing block of Westbrook blew the roof off the place. He brought everyone in attendance to their feet with a three from the top of the key. And after more than two years on the sidelines, Embiid had solidified his special bond with the city of Philadelphia in just 22 glorious minutes.
Joel Embiid has been named the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player. After two straight years finishing as the runner-up, Embiid’s dominance had finally cleared the threshold. For the rest of time, Joel Embiid will be an NBA MVP.
It all feels surreal, even though it has been more than six years since his debut. Embiid spent so much time in the spotlight for all of the wrong reasons. The Greg Oden 2.0 jokes came in bunches. The doubts were even more plentiful.
Some Sixers fans held out hope for Embiid, but others wished that in 2014, the team had just traded up to the top pick and drafted Embiid’s teammate at Kansas, Andrew Wiggins, instead.
After all, was the guy ever even going to play? And if he did, what’s to say he won’t just get hurt again? Was he really talented enough to warrant the third overall pick despite the medical red flags?
Once the kid gloves were removed, Embiid truly blossomed. He started in the All-Star Game in his first full season, and has started or been voted as a starter in every single one since then. His two-way influence and impact on winning basketball was astounding for someone so inexperienced.
Embiid quickly became a true superstar who has consistently propelled his team to impressive records. And, of course, nothing is more important than winning a championship, which Embiid has not yet done. The Sixers hope their ongoing playoff run is one that can finally have a happy ending.
But that doesn’t mean we can’t reflect on Embiid’s journey, from a teenager who never played basketball, to a five-star recruit, to a top-three pick, to a young man dealing with professional and personal hardships, all the way to where he is today: an MVP.
Most people wrote Embiid off. But he was lucky enough to find a team with a fanbase so unique in its insanity that it would maintain belief in him over multiple years, despite waiting after multiple surgeries and having several chances to pull back.
And so, those first moments of his NBA career in 2016 were not just exciting, not just encouraging, but also cathartic. The only person who wanted to see Embiid on the floor and healthy more than Sixers fans did was Embiid himself.
Embiid’s rookie season coincided with my freshman year of high school. A year later, I began covering the team. I have watched every single game of professional basketball he has ever participated in. For the first time in my life, I have been able to witness from close by the evolution of a rookie as he turned into an eventual MVP. It’s been a special experience on a personal level, and I know that this is especially the case for those of you who are still die-hard Sixers fans.
Like any other superstar, Embiid’s ultimate legacy will depend on how much playoff success he achieves -- especially this season. But do not let that stop you from reflecting on the past, on what got Embiid to this point, and how remarkable all of it really is.
Joel Embiid is a real NBA player. He lived up to the expectations, and then he blew those expectations out of the water. He is an All-Star. He is a superstar. He is the anchor of a championship contender. Now -- and for the rest of time, no matter what -- Joel Embiid is an MVP.