Joel Embiid, James Harden Favored in Early NBA All-Star Voting

James Harden and Joel Embiid might be on their way to another All-Star appearance.

Joel Embiid and James Harden benefitted big time from NBA’s first fan returns for the 2023 NBA All-Star game.

With the results getting released on Thursday afternoon, both Sixers have placed top three in their respective areas.

For Embiid, he tallied 2,226,712 total fan votes. As a result, he’s third in the Eastern Conference frontcourt results. The Sixers’ big man trails Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant, who trails only LeBron James overall.

As for Harden, he’s also third in the Eastern Conference’s votes for guards. The Beard finished the first fan returns with 1,161,593 votes. In front of the ten-time All-Star is Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and Harden’s former teammate in Brooklyn, Kyrie Irving.

Both Harden and Embiid are regulars at the All-Star game. Last season, Harden attended (but did not play) his tenth All-Star weekend. Meanwhile, Embiid collected his fifth All-Star nod, consistently making the showcase since 2018. 

This season, Embiid has another MVP campaign. In 28 games, he’s averaged 34 points, five assists, ten rebounds, one steal, and two blocks per game. He was named the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Month for his performances in December.

On the other hand, Sixers guard James Harden is once again flashing his playmaking dominance this year. In 22 games, the star has averaged 22 points, 11 assists, and two steals while knocking down 37 percent of his threes on eight attempts per game.

According to the NBA, the fan votes account for 50 percent of the vote to decide All-Star starters. Players and select media will be split up and account for the rest. The next wave of fan votes will be revealed on January 12. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.