On Tuesday, Joel Embiid won his first NBA MVP award, and few people were happier for him than his teammates. Before Game 2 of the Philadelphia 76ers’ second round series against the Boston Celtics, James Harden surprised Embiid with a Rolex fit for the league’s 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 had a good look at the Rolex, which had “23 MVP” engraved on it.
Shortly after the news broke Monday, Harden tweeted a congratulatory message for Embiid, accompanied by photos of the team celebrating his achievement.
Embiid finished second MVP to Nikola Jokic of Denver Nuggets in each of the past two seasons, but he finally broke through with an exceptional 2022-2023 season. Embiid averaged 33.1 points per game, leading 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 chasing an NBA title. With Embiid sidelined with a knee injury, the Sixers headed out Game 1 and the team hopes he can return at some point in this second round against the Celtics.