Could former Kansas Jayhawk Joel Embiid finally win NBA MVP?

It’s always a fun sight seeing former Kansas basketball alumni thrive in the NBA.

Currently, there’s no shortage of that with former players like Ochai Agbaji and Christian Braun thriving in their rookie years. Kelly Oubre Jr. has shined this year for the Charlotte Hornets, and Devonte’ Graham continues to be a productive bench player for the San Antonio Spurs.

But the former Jayhawk whose star continues to shine brightest is Joel Embiid.

The Philadelphia 76ers center is having perhaps his best year yet as a pro as he currently leads the NBA in scoring with 33.3 points per game. Embiid is also sixth in blocks (1.7 per game) and seventh in rebounds (10.2 per game).

What’s even more impressive is that Embiid has put up these numbers despite missing 14 games this season. No player has won MVP missing that many games since Bill Walton in 1977-78.

Despite history working against him, and despite the fact that Embiid did not face his main MVP contender in Denver Nuggets big man and reigning two-time MVP Nikola Jokić the other night, Embiid and Jokić are currently tied as favorites for league honor.

Another factor that could determine who ends up as MVP is where the Nuggets and 76ers finish the year in their respective conferences.

The 76ers are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference, while the Nuggets sit atop the Western Conference standings.

Things can change week to week, but if Embiid can stay healthy and the 76ers can keep winning, he may become the first former Jayhawk to take home the MVP award since Kansas legend Wilt Chamberlain did it for the third consecutive year in 1968.