BOSTON — When Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was named league MVP, all of his teammates expressed their excitement. James Harden gifted him with a Rolex watch. Others took to social media to express their congratulations.
One teammate has been with Embiid through it all: Furkan Korkmaz.
Korkmaz joined the Sixers for the 2017-18 season, and he has had his fair share of ups and downs since joining Philadelphia. However, he and Embiid have a close relationship. The big fella shouted him out in his MVP speech on Wednesday.
“It’s been a long time, man,” said Korkmaz. “That’s the type of relationship we have, so we are like the last two survivors. It’s been a long time, but I’m glad that he won it because he deserved it. He really deserved it, so it’s been going on for a long time for this MVP thing and everything, but finally, he got it. I was so hyped for him. I felt really grateful to play with him. I think that was a historic moment for all of us.”
Embiid has never been a rah-rah type of leader. He wants to show off what it is to be a leader while out on the floor and playing through pain to be there for his team. That is what he is doing in the playoffs, given the LCL sprain in his right knee.
Considering how well Korkmaz knows Embiid and what he is dealing with, Korkmaz feels the pain Embiid is playing through to be there for this second-round series against the Boston Celtics.
“I think what makes Joel special is he’s been playing through a lot,” Korkmaz added. “Even today (Game 2), you can see that he’s in pain, but he’s just trying to play. I don’t know how many blocks he got, but he’s been playing with his heart. That’s why I was more hyped because I can feel his pain. He’s been going through a lot physically.”
Finally! M V P 🏆 https://t.co/sEQp7qjYtV
— Furkan Korkmaz (@FurkanKorkmaz) May 2, 2023
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