Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid is early NBA MVP favorite

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Joel Embiid, the star center for the Philadelphia 76ers, has the statistics to be the early leader in the race for the NBA MVP award. But he does face some tough competition.

In almost every preseason interview, the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid made it clear that his goal for the 2018-19 season is to in the NBA MVP award.

Some were skeptical that Embiid could elevate his game enough to win the league’s most prestigious individual award. He silenced those skeptics in his first 13 games.

Embiid has two big obstacles in the MVP race. First, the game has changed, moving away from the paint to behind the arc. The last center to win the award was Tim Duncan with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003.

Also, the MVP award almost always goes to a player on a team that is a serious contender for the NBA Finals. The 76ers need to play better than their current 8-5 record for Emiid to have a chance.

Embiid’s statistics alone should make him the early leader in the MVP award race, but it is a close and crowded race.

Here are six more players who are Embiid’s early competition for the award he covets.