“I’ll probably go Joel Embiid”: Why Kevin Durant prefers the Sixers superstar over Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic for 2021-22 NBA MVP

Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant picks Joel Embiid over Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the MVP this season.

The 2x NBA champion has made his MVP preference for the season very clear. Surprisingly, Kevin Durant snubbed Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo from his Top 3 candidates. He did not make the lazy choice that the mainstream media has been pushing for lately.

KD has Joel Embiid, Ja Morant, and DeMar DeRozan as his top three for the 2021-22 MVP award. Out of the three he chose the player he recently defeated, Joel Embiid. Despite the apparent rivalry after the James Harden trade, the two did not shy away from praising each other.

One of the best players, if the best in the league calling Joel Embiid the MVP brings a lot of validation for the Sixers Center. In addition, Durant gave props to the young superstar in Ja Morant by including him in his Top 3 list.

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Joel Embiid is Kevin Durant’s clear cut choice for the MVP award

KD was the MVP frontrunner prior to the MCL sprain that kept him out for nearly a month and a half. He is now out of the MVP race with three solid players closely competing for the award.

Players like Kevin Durant are keeping the mid-range game alive in the fast-evolving NBA. Ja, DeMar, and Joel primarily play inside the arc as well. The Brooklyn Nets star recognizes their mid-range game and excellent athletic abilities. This probably played a major role in Durant choosing them as his top 3 MVP candidates.

“Joel Embiid, DeMar DeRozan, Ja Morant for me, those are my top three [for MVP] and I’ll probably go Joel. Jokic, you can throw throw Jokic in there. But I’ll probably go Joel.”

-Sounds like Kevin Durant gives his vote for MVP to Joel Embiid. pic.twitter.com/755IgFVoMG

— DaveEarly (@DavidEarly) March 19, 2022

When it came down to picking one, KD went with Joel Embiid although there was a mention of Nikola Jokic. Embiid has been in the MVP conversation for three years now but injuries kept him from winning it last year. This year, however, he has managed to stay relatively healthy and stands a real shot at lifting the award.

The Sixers are 4-8 without him, which is a testament to how valuable the 28-year old is. He single-handedly carried them to the second spot in the Eastern Conference when Ben Simmons refused to suit up for Philly.

After the teammate swap, it would be interesting to see how Kevin Durant and Joel Embiid use them in their potential round 1 matchup in the playoffs.

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