2023-05-03 10:28:17
Published on :
After having finished in the two previous exercises in second place in the race for the title of best player of the season, the Cameroonian pivot Joël Embiid finally touches the individual Grail of the best league in the world, by winning the MVP trophy. After a regular season of fire, the pivot of the Philadelphia Sixers, confirms and succeeds the Serbian Nikola Jokic, thus becoming only the second African player to receive this distinction after the Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon, in 1994.
In the reception room of the hotel where the Philadelphia Sixers are installed in Boston, the faces are tense. Joël Embiid, at the center of all attention, does not seem to hold still as he watches the television screen. The announcement falls: the native of Yaoundé takes his head in his hands, bursts into tears, congratulated by his teammates. He has finally just won, at 29, his first title “Michaël Jordan”, name given to the MVP trophy.
The road to achieving the highest individual recognition has been a long one for the Indomitable Lion. But past disappointments, and serious foot injuries, are now behind him. “ He has an incredible destiny! This title does not surprise me, he has walked the league this season “, underlines John Bryant, current assistant coach at the Chicago Bulls, and former individual coach of Joël at the Sixers, for 6 years. ” I was there during his first steps in the NBA, and we could see that he was already special, he feels the game like very few players. But above all, I think that it has now reached an exceptional level of maturity, which is due to several factors “says Bryant. He explains: The first is the desire to win. Losing in the conference semifinals year after year is frustrating. He turned that into extra motivation, and he’s reaping the rewards today. I also think that after becoming a father, he sees things differently, and he has become an exceptional leader. ».
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Same story for Boniface Ndong, the Senegalese assistant coach of the Denver Nuggets, who has been working with Embiid’s big competitor in the MVP title race for three years…Nikola Jokic. ” He deserves his title because he has shown that he carries his team on his shoulders, but also because he has become super consistent and regular, finally being free of physical problems that may have handicapped him. He averaged 33 points, and made some big hits against the best teams in the league, it’s not nothing! ».
An MVP title, an example for Africa
Only the second African in history to be elected MVP, after the legend Olajuwon, Embiid’s consecration is also an unprecedented message sent to the continent, which is increasingly exporting its talents to the best league in the world. . ” This trophy is more than a page in the ledger of NBA history. “, underlines Bryant, who has worked for many years in Angola and Nigeria, “ it is a symbol, an example of inspiration for all young people on the African continent, who want to become Joël Embiid, and who want to live their dream. With this title, he enters an ultra-closed club of legends. It shows Africans that they can do it too, and it has a huge impact! ».
With an increasing number of African players in the league, Embiid’s title is a further sign of the continent’s growing prominence in the world’s top league, which bodes well for the future. ” To have an African who is MVP is such a rare event, even if Olajuwon had paved the way and made history. But the context is different now with the internationalization of the NBA, social networks, and the growing presence of the NBA in Africa, having Joël as “Headlining“because of this title of best player of the season, it gives a huge boost to the continent. It’s a strong sign for the future of African basketball! enthused Ndong.
An NBA title?
On the return after a knee problem which made him miss the last two games of the Sixers, Embiid will not be satisfied with this individual title, he, an outstanding competitor. Leading in the conference semi-final series against the Boston Celtics (note: a zero win, game 2 coming next night), Philadelphia is counting on its Cameroonian giant to return to the heights of the league. ” Joel must be, in a way, freed from a weight with this title, and it will make him even more hungry to win others, starting with that of NBA champion says Bryant. ” If I am an opponent, I will start to get scared because he will come back more motivated than ever. He has built up even more confidence than usual. I announce it: it will be very, very complicated to face Philly! he smiles.
Crossed after the match against the Knicks last night, the pivot of the Miami Heat Bam Adebayo knows that the Cameroonian will be more dangerous than ever in the weeks to come. ” He’s going to be on a mission, that’s for sure. He is hungry, he is in the starting blocks, because he missed a few matches. He will want to show everyone that he is the MVP », Estimates the interior of Nigerian origin.
The moment filled with emotions, Joel Embiid learns that he is MVP of the season in front of his teammates… ????❤️ pic.twitter.com/qUmIJRocN9
— Let’s Talk NBA (@Let’sTalkNBA) May 3, 2023
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