NBA Players Feel Joel Embiid Was 'More Deserving' Than Nikola Jokić For 2021-22 MVP

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is the favorite to win his first NBA MVP award this year, but some players around the league believe he should already have one of those trophies on his mantle.

According to The Athletic's Sam Amick and Josh Robbins, a survey of 108 NBA players revealed they think Embiid is this year's MVP, as he received 50 percent of the 102 votes submitted. Two-time reigning MVP Nikola Jokić received 25.5 percent and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo received 15.7 percent.

Amick and Robbins noted that "several" of the players "said their choices were partly based on Embiid finishing as the runner-up last season to Jokić when, in their opinion, Embiid was the more deserving choice." The Sixers big man finished as the runner-up to his Denver Nuggets counterpart in each of the last two years.

"I would say Joel, honestly, because what he did last year [should have earned him MVP]," a player said. "I think even this year, the way he has been playing, and has been for a while, I'll say Joel. I'll say Joel, but also [it's been] Jokić in the past few years, and I think it'd be good to get somebody else."

Even without the caveat of allowing someone new to win the award, Embiid is clearly deserving of being named MVP after an outstanding season in which he led the league with 33.1 points per game while also adding 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks.

Embiid and the Sixers will be looking to take a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Brooklyn Nets when the teams meet for Game 3 on Thursday.