Steph Curry backs Sixers’ Joel Embiid as the next 2023 NBA MVP: ‘If I had to pick, it would be him’

Golden State star Stephen Curry has won the NBA MVP Award a couple of times, so you could say he knows plenty about what it takes to earn the honors. But it doesn’t stop there, he was also the first unanimously chosen winner back in 2016.

Since he’s been out of the race for this year’s most prestigious individual award, as a spectator to the ladder he firmly believes that Joel Embiid deserves to be this season’s prizewinner.

Steph Curry says that Joel Embiid is his MVP, and talks about him making a leap that many didn’t expect. Mainly due to how good Joel Embiid was already. pic.twitter.com/RMGHYJ9IC2

— Aidan LaPorta (@AidanLaPorta69) April 3, 2023

“I would say Joel [Embiid],” Curry said when asked who he would vote for. “Any person you pick, their body of work could be compared to Jokić or Giannis. But Joel took a leap that I think a lot of people didn’t expect because he was dominant already. That leap turned heads and put Philly in a great position. If I had to pick, it would be him.”

The four-time NBA champion is now the second Warriors player to endorse Embiid publicly, as his teammate Draymond Green admitted the race was tight this campaign, but he is sure the French big man is the most worthy. “Right now in the MVP race, I think it’s Joel. I think it’s Joel’s award to lose,” Green said late last month.

“I think the way he loses that award is his team starts losing. Joel’s going to put up Joel numbers, Joel going to do what Joel has been doing. It’s Joel’s award to lose,” he added. “It’s interesting how much things are changing, you look at the standings, this MVP stuff is changing. Joel should get his first MVP this year. I don’t expect Philly to hit some crazy losing streak. And be that they won’t do that, it should be Joel’s to lose.”

The Sixers center is averaging the highest score per game in the league with 33.0 points, adding 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks, and 1.0 steals so far this season. One of his best performances lately was against Golden State, as he dropped 46 points, won 9 rebounds and handed out 8 assists.

Check out his highlights from his 12th 40+point display of the tournament:

Other greats around the league also wish Embiid wins the MVP award

Another NBA star who also showed his support for the 76ers center was Trail Blazers guard Dame Lillard. “I pick Joel Embiid because I feel like he’s been dominant all season long,” the Portland player said of the race. “His team is winning. I feel like he could’ve won it one of the last two years, but Jokic won it both times.

“I just think because he’s been, to me, the most dominant player and has been carrying his team,” Lillard continued. “You can’t continue to give it to a guy who’s won it twice in a row, especially when you have a guy like this that’s performing at the same level, maybe even higher. And he also didn’t get it one of the last two times when he was at that level. I just think that’s not how it should work.”

What the Portland star says makes perfect sense, as Embiid has finished as runner-up to Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in the past two seasons. But this time, the Frenchman seems to have the stats beside him to claim the award as his own finally, as he’s having the best season of his career and averaging personal best both in points per game (33) and field goal percentage (54).

If things continue as they are now this week, Embiid is also in line to conquer his second consecutive scoring title with Philly strong as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference.