Philadelphia 76ers Center Joel Embiid has won the NBA scoring title for the 2021-22 season.
Embiid is the first center since Shaquille O’Neal to win the scoring championship, achieved in his 1999-2000 NBA campaign with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Embiid captured the title by default when the league’s second leading scorer, Giannis Antetokounmpo, sat out of the Milwaukee Bucks’ regular season finale against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to “right knee soreness”, according to NBC Sports.
Embiid averaged 30.6 points & 11.7 rebounds per game this season, according to NBA.com.
The 76ers began the year with their starting point guard being traded to the Brooklyn Nets, which brought in 2019-20 scoring champion James Harden in exchange for him. (RELATED: Wide Receiver Deebo Samuel Unfollows San Francisco 49ers On Instagram)
76ers Head Coach Doc Rivers spoke to team reporter Lauren Rosen about Embiid’s case for MVP prior to their season finale against the Pistons, saying, “I think Joel has campaigned enough with his play. He really has. I don’t think people realize how hard it is for a center to lead the NBA in scoring,” according to USA Today
“He’s done it the right way. He’s made the right passes. He’s passed the ball and he’s passed the ball more this year than in past years, yet he still leads us in scoring. He’s dominant,” Rivers continued.
Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid’s MVP case:
“I think Joel has campaigned enough with his play. I don’t think people realize how hard it is for a center to lead the league in scoring.
He’s done it the right way. He’s made the right passes… & still leads us in scoring. He’s dominant.”
— Lauren Rosen (@LaurenMRosen) April 10, 2022
Embiid’s play this season also makes him the first international player to ever win the scoring title, according to ESPN.