7 Days Before Joel Embiid Dropped 70, Reigning MVP Got a Shaquille O’Neal, Kareem Abdul Jabbar Level Challenge

The standard for all-time greats is perfection. While any questions around Joel Embiid might seem preposterous given his recent outing, it is the judgment curve reserved for the very best of the best. As a result, the face of ESPN still needs more from the Cameroonian. Because, skill-wise, Embiid might be one of one. This was abundantly clear during his 70-point performance against the San Antonio Spurs. However, skill alone cannot make up for accolades.

That is the conundrum the Philadelphia 76ers superstar finds himself in. Because, as good as Embiid may be, the expectation from him is Championship or Bust. Following ‘The Process’s dominant showing against Victor Wembanyama, Stephen A. Smith reshared a week old clip where the analyst laid down his perspective on the 2023 NBA MVP. According to Smith, the league’s most prestigious award, the MVP, should be inconsequential to JoJo.

“If he gave 2 cents of a damn about winning league MVP, I would be incredibly disappointed in Joel Embiid. I don’t care about some damn MVP. Not from him.” Because that is the place his contemporaries are at right now. “Botton line is this: Anthony Davis has a chip, Joel Embiid does not. [Nikola] Jokic has played and won in the Finals. We think about Giannis [Antetokounmpo]. They got championships and championship contender status attached to their names. It’s Joel Embiid’s turn,” explained the ESPN veteran.

As per Smith, it is the company Embiid is up against that could determine his all-time status. “When we think about the greats, the great big men in NBA history – That’s [George] Mikan, Bill Russell. That’s Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, that’s Moses Malone. that’s Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, that’s David Robinson, that’s Patrick Ewing, that’s Shaquille O’Neal.” 

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Due to his talent, ‘The Process’ needs championship gold to surpass the legendary bigs of his era and the past. Because, and this was the greatest compliment Stephen A. gave the 70-point expert, “Can we definitively say that any of them is better skill-wise than what we’ve seen Joel Embiid put on display?” 

With the highest of honors alongside his name, can his Kobe Bryant-level performance last night be a sign of things to come?

A Joel Embiid masterclass

On the day that the Los Angeles Lakers legend had the greatest singular performance of his immaculate career, Embiid might have had his too. 18 years ago, Bryant dropped 81 points on the Raptors. Yesterday, channeling his inner Mamba, JoJo was also sensational as he went for 70 points against Victor Wembanyama.

Whether it was long-range bombs, mid-range jumpers, layups, dunks, or free throws, the personification of The Process was in sensational form. He registered 18 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 1 block against the French sensation. Even though the MVP Award it might have secured him is inconsequential to Smith, the performance wasn’t up to par for another veteran.

However, with the case for a second MVP getting stronger, can this year finally be, as SAS put it, “Joel Embiid’s turn”?

Read More: Joel Embiid Goes Michael Jordan Mode, Beats Wilt Chamberlain, Allen Iverson and Giannis Antetokounmpo with 70pt Game