76ers' Joel Embiid Won't Get JJ Redick's Top NBA MVP Vote

With the 2022-2023 NBA regular season in the rearview, the MVP race has officially concluded. Considering it’s a regular season award, we’ll soon find out if Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets will make it a three-peat or if Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers or Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks will become the latest Most Valuable Player.

Over the last few days, media members with an MVP vote have chimed in with their picks, making their selections public. Fortunately for the Sixers, Embiid has received a lot of love, earning first-place selections frequently.

However, one of Embiid’s former teammates recently admitted he wouldn’t be selecting the 76ers’ big man this season. Former Philadelphia sharpshooter JJ Redick went on record with his entire ballot on Monday. And instead of going with the current popular vote, Joel Embiid, Redick picked the Bucks’ big man, Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Number one, my MVP for this season was Giannis,” said Redick. “Number two was Joel Embiid. Number three was Jokic. Number four was Tatum, and number five was Donovan Mitchell. The Giannis thing is interesting because I don't think he's gonna win, but I think he's the MVP this season. The more I thought about it, and the more I tried to talk myself out of it, I just couldn't do it. He's the MVP. He's the best player on the best team. Best win percentage of all three of these guys.”

Here’s my MVP vote. New Old Man and the Three things today- no paywall for this episode. It’s available to all. We talk thru all my end of season awards voting. pic.twitter.com/kFlQHD4Vkq
— JJ Redick (@jj_redick) April 10, 2023

Giannis and the Bucks finished the season as the top team in the Eastern Conference with a league-leading 58-24 record, but team success isn’t the end-all, be-all factor for Redick’s choice.

“Per minute scoring, Giannis number one,” Redick continued. “I said this a couple of weeks ago. 30, ten, and five, over 50 percent shooting — only Wilt has done that. Giannis shot over 55. It’s the first time in history he’s ever done this — he had a historic season. Six of the seven previous times that a player’s averaged 30, ten, and five, they’ve won MVP. I don’t think it will be seven out of eight, but for me, Giannis is the MVP.”

The player-turned-analyst added two more factors that went into his decision. One, he believes that the Sixers’ win percentage without Embiid on the floor for the 16 games he missed, compared to the Bucks’ percentage in the games Antetokounmpo missed, played a key factor in the decision.

Two, Redick also doesn’t buy into the narrative that Embiid should win the award because the big man should have the accolade to his name by default for being so close to winning it now for the last couple of seasons.

“It is about this season,” Redick finished. “I don't care about the narrative last season. I don't care about the narrative of the season before that. I don't care about the narrative in 2005. This season, Giannis is my MVP, and I'll stand by that. Okay, and Joel, I’m sorry. I know you're gonna be pissed. I still love you.”

It’s unfortunate for Embiid’s case that he couldn’t earn a first-place vote from his former teammate, but it won’t be a decision that shakes up the race.

On the bright side for Embiid and the Sixers, Philadelphia’s big man is still receiving a lot of first-place love early on. Also, Embiid still collects notable points from Redick’s decision by garnering second-place votes.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.