This year’s NBA free agency has witnessed max contracts being handed out left and right like candy on Halloween. The reason for that is pretty simple-the league is crammed to the brim with stars and superstars who have been vying for the top spot for years. With such a skirmish going on in the upper echelons of the league, Joel Embiid edged out his competition to secure his first NBA MVP trophy this year. Due to his battles to stand out among the best in the league for the past few years, the Philadelphia 76ers superstar is well aware of the devastation some of his peers are capable of causing. Therefore, Embiid didn’t mince his words when he gave Kevin Durant his flowers last year on JJ Redick’s podcast while also pointing out his weird trash-talking antics.
Advertisement
There was a time when LeBron James and Kevin Durant were touted as the two best players in the league. The NBA is far less polarized now as discussed before, with players like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo giving both KD and Bron a run for their money. Embiid has also been circling the conversation for a few years now. However, one year before winning his desired MVP award, the 7-ft star seemed to be very conscious of his place in the league’s hierarchy.
Joel Embiid praised Kevin Durant’s offensive firepower
Joel Embiid sat down with JJ Redick and his crew for an episode of The Old Man and the Three podcast in March of 2022 to discuss his dynamic with other superstars in the league. During the conversation, Embiid talked about his supposed rivalry with KD while calling out the two-time NBA Champion for his weird trash-talking habits.
During the show, Embiid told Redick and his co-host:
“I think I can do everything on the basketball court and if there’s someone-especially when you consider size and stuff-and if there’s someone that can do the same stuff and better, [it’s Kevin Durant]. Because he’s just so frickin talented, so good…I have a lot of respect for him.”
“But I love playing with him[Durant], he’s always talking trash for no reason sometimes. He make a bucket and he’s talking trash. That’s just the way he plays…Knowing me, I kind of play the same way,” he added.
Joel Embiid when talking about Kevin Durant
"I can do everything on the basketball court but if there is someone who can do it the same or better, it's [KD].pic.twitter.com/mBCa4KRchk
— . (@Kd7_Szn) August 31, 2023
Kevin Durant is certainly one of the greatest scorers basketball has ever witnessed. He can light up any defense at any given day without even putting in a lot of effort. What the four-time scoring champion lacks in defense, he makes up in firepower on the offensive end. On the other hand, Embiid may not have matched KD’s scoring prowess yet, but he’s pretty effective on the defensive end of the floor. One common thread that binds the careers of these two elite big men is that injuries have significantly affected both of their careers.
KD picked Embiid for MVP this year
Even though Nikola Jokic ended up as the runaway winner of the 2022-23 season, the MVP debate this year was probably the closest in recent NBA history. The fight ended up being focused on three of the game’s best big men-Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, and Nikola Jokic.
View this post on Instagram
As most pundits and basketball aficionados struggled to make their pick, Kevin Durant also had his reservations before picking his winner. However, the 2014 MVP ended up choosing Joel Embiid for this year’s award.
