Embiid is Way More Valuable Than Jokic
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Last week I wrote about the NBA MVP award. It was not given out yet. I broke down how the same writers who criticized Russell Westbrook's MVP season were the very same ones that would almost assuredly vote for Nikola Jokic. Welp, it was announced yesterday that Jokic had indeed won his second straight MVP.
I was surprised, but I guess I shouldn't have been. I laid it all out for all of you anyway. I knew that these writers were licking their chops at the chance to crown another white superhero. If it couldn't be Jokic, you better damn well believe that would have wanted it to be Luka. But they got their wish. The voters voted, they were counted and Jokic narrowly beat out Embiid. All of the talking heads on ESPN said they were fine with it. Most of those people were white or old. Most of the writers on Bleacher Report were talking about how great it was that they went with analytics. That the game is changing for the good. Most of the analysts on NBA TV, mostly white, were happy with the outcome.
Jokic has now won two straight MVP's. There are only a few players in the history of the game that have done that. The only current players that have done it are Steph, LeBron, Giannis and now Jokic. To write his name in the same sentence with those guys has me utterly baffled. Jokic is a very good player. He can shoot, is a very good passer and is pretty lethal in the low post. But is he Steph? No way. Steph revolutionized the game. He has done things that no one has ever done in the history of the NBA. Giannis is a modern day Shaq who can shoot. He is un guard-able. When he has a head of steam, get out of the way. And, even though he didn't need to prove anything to anyone, he put up 50 points in a closeout game in the finals. He is currently the best player in the NBA. And then we have LeBron. I mean, it is LeBron. He is the second greatest player to ever step on an NBA floor. He is a giant among men. As for some other names that have won back to back MVPs we have Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Steve Nash and Tim Duncan. And now Nikola Jokic. Looking at that list, and having to now add Jokic is jarring. He is not on the same level as any of those guys. Russell and Wilt are Mount Rushmore guys. Jordan is the GOAT. Larry and Magic are freaking Larry and Magic. Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward of all time. I mean, even Steve Nash is more important than Jokic could ever dream of being. But now he is on this list. That is messed up.
This is purely analytical driven. The NBA voters, for the most part, are a bunch of dorks that only care about pointless stats. They will talk about VORPS and second hand assists and any other nonsense that makes basketball as boring as baseball. I do not watch basketball for the analytics. I go by the eye test. I watch and decide who I think is the MVP.
With my eye I can see Joel Embiid is a much, much, much more palatable player to watch. He is infinitely more fun. He is a far superior defender. He is a better offensive player. The only thing Jokic has over him is passing ability. And Embiid is a serviceable passer. People will point out the teammates and all of that other stuff, but do not act like Embiid didn’t have some shit to deal with this season. Ben Simmons was a selfish little baby all year. Embiid kept them afloat. Embiid missed two playoff games and the 76ers looked lost. He comes back and they win the next two games. It is wildly clear to me that Embiid is far more deserving of MVP.
This is going to be looked back upon as a miss. This is Nash over Kobe. This is Russ over Harden. This is Malone over Jordan or Barkley over Jordan. This is BS. This is white voters finding a white savior and trying to ride him for all he is worth. So when Bill Simmons and Zach Lowe and all these other writers that hemmed and hawed about being a "basketball pervert" when they voted for Russ over Harden, just remember that you all voted Jokic over Embiid, and that is a far worse fate in my opinion. Embiid is the MVP. I will debate anyone on that. Bring it.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.