Skip to content
Opinion
Link copied to clipboard

Sixers’ Brett Brown wants Joel Embiid to be a different MVP

Also, the Sixers have teamed up with Beats by Dr. Dre.

Joel Embid, left, of the Sixers and Head Coach Brett Brown talk on the sidelines before Emdid went back into the game late in the 4th quarter against Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 26, 2016. CHARLES FOX / Staff Photographer
Joel Embid, left, of the Sixers and Head Coach Brett Brown talk on the sidelines before Emdid went back into the game late in the 4th quarter against Oklahoma City Thunder on Oct. 26, 2016. CHARLES FOX / Staff PhotographerRead moreCharles Fox
    by Keith Pompey | Columnist
    Published 

SHANGHAI, China – Joel Embiid has expressed multiple times his desire to be the 2019 MVP, as in 2019 NBA Most Valuable Player.

Brett Brown, though, has his own interpretation for what MVP means for the 76ers' all-star center.

"Joel's discussion for wanting to be MVP, that's Most Valuable Person," the Sixers coach said Friday. "He is our leader. That's what interests me the most."

Brown wants to cultivate and grow Embiid and Ben Simmons as the Sixers' leaders.

But it's easy to see why Embiid aspires to become the Most Valuable Player. Last season, the 24-year-old, in just his second season,  became the first Sixer selected to start in an NBA All-Star Game since Allen Iverson in 2010.  He was also a finalist for the league's defensive player of the year. And he is arguably the league's best center.

This summer marked the first time since being drafted third overall in 2014 that he wasn't coming off an injury, and didn't have offseason training restrictions. Embiid missed his first two seasons because of two foot surgeries. Then he had season-ending knee surgery in March 2017, prohibiting him from working out last season.

The Cameroonian worked on his overall game this offseason and is in the best shape of his career.  That's scary, considering he averaged 22.9 points, 10.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.76 blocks in just 30.3 minutes last season.  He and Milwaukee Bucks all-star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo were the league's only players  to average 20 points, 10 rebounds and 3 assists in a minimum of 50 games played.

Sixers team up with Beats by Dr. Dre

The Sixers announced Friday that they have agreed to a multiyear partnership with the Beats by Dr. Dre headphone brand. Beats will produce pregame playlists for the team.

"The pairing of two iconic, global brands in sports and audio will enhance our fans' already dynamic in-game experience," Sixers vice president of marketing partnerships Chad Biggs said in a press release.

Simmons has an endorsement deal with Beats.  He provided the team with custom Studio 3 headphones Monday for the plane ride to China.