Joel Embiid Voted NBA MVP over Nikola Jokić, Giannis, More in ESPN Straw Poll
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid appears to be the early MVP favorite based on results from an early straw poll.
ESPN's Tim Bontemps polled 100 league insiders on where the MVP race stands right now, and the reigning NBA MVP has the edge over candidates such as Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Sixty-three of 100 people voted for Embiid. Jokić was next with 21 votes. Then it was Luka Dončić and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tied with six apiece, Antetokounmpo with three and Jayson Tatum with one.
Obviously, there's still plenty of season remaining. Most teams haven't made it through a third of the 2023-24 campaign just yet.
However, it's hard to ignore what Embiid is doing right now, averaging 35.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. Over his past eight contests, Embiid is posting 41.4 points on 61.5 percent shooting.
He's enjoying a stretch of historical dominance right now and finds himself in elite company because of it.
That includes a monstrous 51-point outing on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who own the Western Conference's best record (20-6) and the NBA's top defensive rating (107.8).
Embiid's 76ers have also adjusted nicely after making changes at head coach (Doc Rivers to Nick Nurse) and parting ways with James Harden. The team currently sits at 19-8, good enough for third in the East.
Given Embiid's individual and team success, it makes sense why league insiders favor him in the MVP race right now. But there's still nearly four months of regular season ball left before voters make their decisions.
For now, Embiid will look to keep his hot streak going Friday when his team hosts the Toronto Raptors.
