Joel Embiid Becomes First Center Since Shaquille O’Neal to Win Scoring Title

The five-time All-Star is the first center in four decades to average 30 points per game.

Saturday’s 41-point performance against the Pacers all but guaranteed Joel Embiid his first career scoring title. On Sunday, the 76ers superstar officially claimed the throne.

Embiid finished the 2021-22 regular season as the NBA’s leading scorer with an average of 30.6 points per game on 49.9/37.1/81.4 shooting splits. He secured the honor after the Bucks announced Giannis Antetokounmpo, the NBA’s second-leading scorer at 29.9 points per game, would not play in the season finale due to a knee injury.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid wins the 2021-22 NBA scoring title, the first center to lead the league in scoring since Shaquille O’Neal in 1999-2000.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 10, 2022

Embiid is the first center to lead the league in scoring since Shaquille O’Neal during the 1999-2000 season. He is also the first big man to average 30-plus points per game since Moses Malone did so with the Rockets in 1981-82.

It was an impressive finish to the season for Embiid, who scored at least 41 points in three of the last four games entering Sunday. On the season, he has recorded 13 efforts of 40-plus points and 10-plus rebounds, the most in a season since Bob McAdoo in 1975-76.

Philadelphia announced Embiid (knee) will not play in the season finale against the Pistons, officially capping his dominant season at a career-best 68 appearances.

With the five-time All-Star out of the lineup, the Sixers will have to look for production elsewhere as they continue to battle for playoff positioning. Philly can move up to No. 3 in the Eastern Conference with a victory over Detroit and a Celtics loss against the Grizzlies.