NBA: Embiid: “Want to be MVP next season”

The Philadelphia 76ers couldn’t sign a big name in the Free Agency. That’s no problem for Joel Embiid. He expects a great season from himself and wants to become MVP.

“Big free agent or not, my goal for the off-season was to get better,” Embiid told Yahoo! Sports. “I want to be MVP. It’s an individual award, but when I play better, so does the team,” the center continued. “I think if I’m an MVP candidate or even win him, we’ll be on a higher level as a team.”

The Sixers hunted the big free agents in the summer, but neither LeBron James nor Paul George signed in the city of fraternal love, nor could a trade for Kawhi Leonard be arranged. The extension of J.J. Redick and the trade were the sixers’ biggest moves for Wilson Chandler from Denver.

“At the end of the season, everyone was talking about getting new players. I didn’t really care, I just wanted to get better,” Embiid explained. “I want to be better than all the names that have been mentioned if I’m not better already.”

Embiid put on 22.9 points and 11 rebounds for the Sixers in his first season without injury. As a reward, the Cameroonian was elected to the All-Star Team and later also to the All-NBA Second Team and the Second All-Defensive Team.