The Philadelphia 76ers have gotten off to a hot start to the 2020-21 NBA season and the emergence of Joel Embiid has played a huge role in that. The Sixers have some solid talent around Embiid, but there’s no doubt who the best player on the team is.

Nobody on the 76ers has had anywhere close to the same production that Embiid has had, and their team includes Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, Dwight Howard, and Seth Curry. Joel Embiid has put the Sixers on his back this season and he has earned every bit of his MVP recognition.

You could argue that Joel Embiid is the best center in the NBA right now, and he could completely change the culture of the NBA moving forward. He’s a nightly matchup nightmare for opposing teams and has led the 76ers to the Eastern Conference’s best record.

The last center to take home the NBA’s prestigious Most Valuable Player Award was Shaquille O’Neal who took home the hardware in 2000. There are many things that factor into being an NBA MVP, and Joel Embiid has done all of them, so far.

Here’s a look at three reasons why Joel Embiid deserves to be in the forefront of MVP conversations as the season moves forward.