76ers' Joel Embiid on MVP Criteria: 'I'll Be the Bad Guy. I Like Being the A--hole'

You wouldn't expect anything less from a star who has adopted the "Troel" nickname on social media.

As he vies for his first Most Valuable Player Award, the Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid told Shams Charania of The Athletic he isn't afraid to embrace a sort of villain role.

"People always thought that I was crazy when I said this—I really believe that I'm not well liked," he said. "And it's cool with me, that's fine. I'll be the bad guy. I like being the a--hole anyway. I like being the underdog. So that's fine with me."

Embiid also lamented what he believes are the evolving standards for MVP consideration:

"The criteria does change. If we want to talk about the last three years since I've been in the running for it, the first year it was that I didn't play enough games. Last year, I came back, I played enough games, I led the league in scoring, and obviously, Nikola deserved it and he won it. But then again, he won as a sixth seed in the West. And then this year, I'm leading the league in scoring, I'm doing all of these things defensively … I should be making an All-Defensive team too. I don't care, but every year it's something. And when you add analytics into it, which don't make sense."

ESPN's Tim Bontemps conducted his second MVP straw poll in February, which is typically a great barometer for who has the inside track for the coveted award. Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić was the runaway favorite, collecting 77 of the 100 first-place votes. Embiid was third with just six first-place votes.

However, the Sixers big man might have overtaken the two-time winner in the weeks since.

Over a stretch of six games this month, Denver suffered five losses to reignite longstanding questions over the franchise's championship credentials. Until the Nuggets reach the NBA Finals, there will be a segment of fans who question whether they can get there.

The Sixers, meanwhile, went on an eight-game winning streak to solidify its top-four position in the Eastern Conference, though they've dropped three of their last four. Embiid has also been dominant on the court.

Through 13 games in March, he's averaging 34.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists and shooting 59.7 percent overall and 35.1 percent on three-pointers.

Embiid is currently the MVP betting favorite (-145; bet $145 to win $100) at FanDuel ahead of Jokić (+195) and the Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (+500).

The six-time All-Star could effectively build an unassailable lead Monday night with the Sixers hitting the road to play Jokić and the Nuggets.

In his only other meeting with Denver this year, Embiid dropped 47 points and 18 rebounds in 126-119 victory. Should he have another dominant performance in a victorious effort, the voters might have their minds made up.

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