76ers’ Joel Embiid Appears on Early Desired Award List

An ESPN panel predicts Joel Embiid could be in the DPOY conversation.

Apr 17, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) shoots past Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) during the second quarter of a play-in game of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

A busy offseason for Joel Embiid concludes with him adding to his already impressive resume as the Philadelphia 76ers center landed a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

From a solo standpoint, what else does Embiid need to accomplish? Well, he desires a major award that he has yet to come close to winning; Defensive Player of the Year.

Not a lot of scoring stars in the NBA can pride themselves on their defense, but Embiid doesn’t fall under that category. Considering the big man is a significant presence in the paint on the defensive end of the floor, Embiid has taken a lot of pride in his talents on the other end.

Throughout his career, Embiid has mentioned wanting to be a Defensive Player of the Year recipient. According to ESPN, a forecast panel assumes he’s ranked seventh in that category at this time.

Who Does Embiid Trail?

San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama is expected to be a regular in the Defensive Player of the Year conversation from here on out. He received the most votes, placing him first on the way-too-early list.

To no surprise, the defending title winner, Rudy Gobert, comes second.

Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, LA Lakers forward Anthony Davis, New York Knicks wing Mikal Bridges, and Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday, all follow the top-two before the list reaches Embiid.

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Beyond Embiid, there’s a tie between Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green, New York Knicks’ OG Anunoby, and Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo for the eighth spot.

Two seasons ago, Embiid’s Defensive Player of the Year campaign had him ranked within the top ten. However, his MVP-winning season didn’t include him taking home multiple major awards.

Last year, Embiid’s injury left him with just 39 games played. As a result, he was excluded from award talk.

As the Sixers’ big man enters the 2024-2025 NBA season, the team hopes he remains healthy after battling a knee injury throughout the season last year. If all goes well, Embiid could be right back in major award contention once again.

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