Philadelphia 76ers superstar came second in the 2022 MVP voting behind Nikola Jokic, who was named the recipient of the award for the second straight season.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, head coach Doc Rivers said he’s “obviously disappointed” that Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic won over Embiid
“I was obviously disappointed. Clearly, Jokic is a great player, too, and Giannis…I was surprised, though, by it. I actually thought Joel would win, but let’s win it (the title) and then everything else will follow, I guess.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday that Jokic won the award over Embiid and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The voting results have not made known so far, but, the debate around the award was a hot topic once the NBA announced the three finalists.
Embiid led the league in scoring average (30.6 points per game), making him the first center since Shaquille O’Neal in 1999-2000 to win the scoring title.
He also led his team in rebounds and blocks as the Sixers finished with the fourth-best record in the East despite facing adversity all season with the Ben Simmons saga and several injuries in key players.
On the other side, Jokic set career highs in scoring average (27.1 points per game), rebounding (13.8). The Nuggets finished sixth in the West without their second- and third-best players.
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