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Philadelphia Passes Resolution to Name NBA Star Joel Embiid the City's MVP

Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid

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Joel Embiid is taking home an MVP title this year — just not the one he was likely hoping for.

Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was named the NBA's 2021-22 MVP for the second consecutive year, but many fans — including the Philadelphia City Council — believe the title should have been given to Embiid.

The city of Philadelphia passed a resolution to name 76ers athlete Embiid, 28, the "most valuable Philadelphian" on Thursday, according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Anna Orso.

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Orso obtained a copy of the resolution, which states, "Resolved by the council of the city of Philadelphia that it hereby celebrates Joel Embiid as MVP: 'Most Valuable Philadelphian.' Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Joel Embiid as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body."

According to ESPN, the resolution had been in the works since before the end of the Sixers' season. During Thursday's city council meeting, the idea was met with audible laughs before it ultimately passed unanimously.

Philadelphia councilman Curtis Jones Jr. said, "In spite of the results of the tournament, I enthusiastically move for the adoption of the resolution," the outlet reported.

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ESPN reported that Embiid wasn't surprised when the NBA announced Jokic had won the league's MVP award this year. "I just knew it wasn't gonna happen," the athlete said.

Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid

Cole Burston/Getty Images

Embiid told reporters that he's "not mad" but instead, confused about what more he could do to earn that recognition from the league. "That's two years in a row I put myself in that position. It didn't happen," Embiid said of being a finalist again.

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"I wonder what else I have to do to win it, and to me, it's like, at this point it's like, it's whatever," he said.

Despite his obvious disappointment, Embiid congratulated Jokic on his win. "Obviously, congrats to Nikola. He deserved it. He had an amazing season. There's no right or wrong. There was a lot of candidates. It could have gone either way."

Embiid finished the season with an average of 30.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in 68 games, according to StatMuse. Jokic competed in 74 games, with an average of 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists in his second MVP season.