Yahoo Finance Joel Embiid Brought to Tears After Son Arthur, 2, Joins Him During MVP Ceremony
"I just want to show him a good example," the NBA star shared as he was being celebrated with the honor
Joel Embiid is an MVP both on and off the court.
As the NBA star, 29, was celebrated as the season's Most Valuable Player before his Philadelphia 76ers took on the Boston Celtics Friday night, his 2-year-old son Arthur ran to him on the court to join him during an emotional speech.
"Honestly, he's the main reason why I'm really here," Embiid said. "Becoming a father changed my whole life and I just wanted to show him a good example, and I'm glad he is here with us. My fiancée is a big part of it, too."
Beating out Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo and Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokić for this year's Michael Jordan Trophy, Embiid put up some impressive numbers during the regular season: 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.
Before the game, in which Philly lost to Boston and now trails 2-1 in the series, Embiid thanked both God and his teammates as commissioner Adam Silver handed him the trophy.
"My family has been a big part of it," he said. "Obviously, we went through such a huge tragedy losing my little brother. But, you know, we stuck together. We went through a lot."
Embiid's younger brother Arthur Embiid died in a car accident in 2014 at age 13, and as NBC Sports reports, Joel previously credited "losing my brother and then giving his name to my son" as something that meant a lot during his journey.
"My son is the reason why I'm really sitting here," he previously shared of the MVP honor. "When I found out we were having a kid, I just remember I was like, 'I've got to be a great role model, and I've got to set a good example.' I want him to understand that his dad not only was pretty good, but he also worked hard, and he went and took everything he wanted."
"My whole mindset just changed. Everything about me just changed. The way I went about my business, my life, everything changed because I wanted to be a great father, set a good example."
Related:76ers Fan, 9, Writes Letter to Joel Embiid Following Game 7 Loss: 'It's OK to Lose Sometimes'
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When Jokic was previously named the NBA's 2021-22 MVP for the second consecutive year, Philly fans (and the Philadelphia City Council) took matters into their own hands.
Last May, the city of Philadelphia passed a resolution to name 76ers athlete the "most valuable Philadelphian," according to Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Anna Orso.
At the time, Orso obtained a copy of the resolution, which read, "Resolved by the council of the city of Philadelphia that it hereby celebrates Joel Embiid as MVP: 'Most Valuable Philadelphian.' Further resolved, that an engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Joel Embiid as evidence of the sincere respect and admiration of this legislative body."
The idea was passed unanimously during a city council meeting last year, with councilman Curtis Jones Jr. saying, "In spite of the results of the tournament, I enthusiastically move for the adoption of the resolution," per ESPN.
This year, however, Embiid is the NBA's MVP — and apparently an MVP dad, too!
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