If there was a discussion to be had about who the top two MVP candidates would be for the next couple of years, the names to come up on most people’s lists would be quite predictable: LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Even the most casual fans will have trouble coming up with a case against that one.
Ask Philadelphia 76ers rookie Joel Embiid to name his candidates, though, and you will get a response that only he could come up with. Clearly, he has some high expectations of himself going into his first year in the league:
MVP rankings in a couple years pic.twitter.com/t7iIACs9f6
— Joel-Hans Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) August 19, 2014
Confidence…. I’m really out
— Joel-Hans Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) August 19, 2014
Embiid did post this tweet right after his prediction, so it’s quite probable that he may just be having a little fun with himself and his followers. After all, Durant is no where to be found on this list (presumably since he copied his own face over where Durant’s picture should be).
That said, the 7-footer is truly one of the most intriguing talents to come out of the 2014 NBA Draft and has shown the potential to be a special player on both ends of the floor:
Unlike many players of his size, Embiid has tremendous mobility and footwork. Combine that with his size, length, strength, along with great feel around the basket? This is a player who has the potential to make an impact on the offensive end for the rebuilding 76ers. Defensively, it’s easy to see just how terrorizing he can be. If you’re a fan of defense, the idea of Embiid and Nerlens Noel playing together should make you drool.
As for his MVP prediction, lets take it one year at a time.
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James Park is the chief blogger and deputy editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.