Philadelphia 76ers erupt in chants of ‘MVP’ after teammate Joel Embiid is named winner of 2022-23…
- The 76ers gathered to watch Joel Embiid be named NBA MVP on Tuesday
- The star’s teammates congratulated him with James Harden hugging him
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Joel Embiid’s Philadelphia 76ers teammates had a heartwarming reaction when he was announced as the 2022-23 NBA MVP on Tuesday.
The entire team was gathered in what appeared to be a banquet hall in their hotel as they watched the live announcement.
Before the announcer could even read out the star player’s name, his teammates erupted in cheers and applause.
Embiid, clearly overcome with emotion, rested his head in his hands as he took in the moment before the rest of the 76ers began chanting “MVP.”
James Harden then jumped off his chair and hugged the league’s newly crowned MVP from behind in a huge hug.
Star forward Joel Embiid was named NBA MVP for the 2022-2023 regular season on Tuesday
His teammates from the Philadelphia 76ers reacted warmly when he won the award
The rest of their teammates then joined the point guard in a circle around Embiid, as Harden looked up and exclaimed, “he’s crying.”
The Philadelphia roster lightly began ribbing Embiid for his tears with some pats on the shoulder.
Embiid earned his first NBA MVP trophy Tuesday night, beating two-time winner Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
The 29-year-old from Yaoundé, Cameroon, averaged 33.1 points to win his second consecutive scoring title, averaged 10.2 rebounds and set an all-time high with 4.2 assists per game.
Embiid played in 66 games, the second-highest total of his career, but was again hit with playoff injuries.
He is sidelined with a sprained right knee that cost him one game of the playoff sweep against Brooklyn and the opening game of the Eastern Conference semifinal against Boston, which Philadelphia won Monday night.
Jokic finished second and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was third.
Embiid is determined to win the MVP trophy and has been campaigning for it for years. The third overall pick of the 2014 draft, Embiid missed his first two full seasons with injuries before establishing himself as one of the best big men of his generation.
James Harden jumped off his chair and hugged the league’s newly crowned MVP
Embiid defeated former MVP winners Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo for the award
He was at his best this season when he scored a total of 50 points in three games, including a career-high 59 against Utah in November. He had a total of 13 40-point games.
When Embiid racked up 52 points and 13 rebounds in a win against the Celtics in April, coach Doc Rivers boldly declared, “The MVP race is over.”
Embiid certainly didn’t argue that night with his coach or Sixers teammates stumping on his behalf.
“They’re probably right,” Embiid said. “But we have bigger goals in mind.”
Embiid’s injury could be the deciding factor in the 76ers’ hunt for the NBA championship. The Sixers are trying to win their first NBA title since 1983 and get past the second round for the first time since 2001 – which marked the last time a Sixer won the MVP award.
Allen Iverson was named league MVP in 2001. Other 76ers to take the league’s top individual award: Julius Erving, 1981; Moses Malone, 1983; and Wilt Chamberlain, 1966-1968.