On Tuesday, Joel Embiid won his first NBA MVP award, and few people were happier for him than his teammates. Prior to Game 2 of the Philadelphia 76ers' second round series against the Boston Celtics, James Harden surprised Embiid with a Rolex fit for the league MVP.
In the bowels of TD Garden, Harden presented the watch to Embiid, who was floored by the gesture. Embiid then made sure everyone around him got a good look at the Rolex, which had "23 MVP" engraved on it.
#Sixers PG James Harden presented #MVP Joel Embiid with a Rolex with ‘23 MVP’ engraved on the back. pic.twitter.com/8I8QSfFTKN
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) May 3, 2023
Shortly after the news broke on Monday, Harden tweeted out a message of congratulations for Embiid, accompanied by photos of the team celebrating his achievement.
long overdue, well deserved… #Uno pic.twitter.com/UM4QzmVSVQ
— James Harden (@JHarden13) May 3, 2023
Embiid finished as the MVP runner-up to the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in each of the last two seasons, but he finally broke through with an exceptional 2022-23 campaign. Embiid averaged 33.1 points per game, which led the league while adding 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Now that Embiid has his MVP, he and the rest of the Philadelphia 76ers are looking for an NBA title. With Embiid sidelined due to a knee injury, the Sixers took Game 1 on the road, and the team hopes he can return at some point in this second-round series against the Celtics.
