Joel Embiid says his play, Philadelphia 76ers' challenges should make him MVP

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When asked why he should be the NBA's Most Valuable Player this season, the Philadelphia 76ers center declared, "The way I've been playing speaks for itself."

I don't want to push for the whole thing, but the way I've been playing speaks for itself.

I knew I had to take my game to another level and I have great teammates that are giving their all on the floor. It always goes back to winning. If we win, I will be at that level and have a chance to win it all.

To answer your question, the play speaks for itself. I don't plan on stopping because every single night I have been doing that.

Entering the All-Star break, he was leading the NBA in scoring with 28.6 points per game, and he had a career-high 4.5 assists. He has done it all with the trade demand of Ben Simmons hanging over his team.

Thanks to last week's trade that saw James Harden come to Philadelphia in exchange for Simmons, Curry, and a pair of first-round picks, that is no longer the case. Philadelphia hopes to win its first championship in almost 40 years, but it is still front and center in the mind of the people.

It puts him in a good position to win his first award, after coming in second in the voting last season. In the most recent NBA Straw Poll, conducted within the last week, Embiid has a slim lead over Jokic, who finished ahead of him in last year's voting.

The way he has played this season has been the best of his career so far, and the fact that the 76ers were able to stay in the middle of the East playoff picture even with their co-star sitting out is due in large part to the way he has played.

He said that he can get to another level. I will keep working to reach that level. I had to take my game to a higher level than I did last year.

I would say yes, so far, but there is still another level I can get to.

He pointed out his conditioning when asked what it would take to get to that final level. While he is pleased with the progress he has made with his body, he believes that he needs to continue to improve his game in order to become a complete two-way player.

He thinks that would allow him to get more recognition at the defensive end of the court, something that he doesn't get enough.

The results are showing after two years of working on my body. I feel like once I get to that level, I play a lot and be asked to do everything, but I am not close to where I want to be.

There's not a lot of guys that can do that in the league, so I really believe once I get to that level. I don't get a lot of respect for my defense. I want to be a great offensive player, but I also want to be a great defensive player, but it takes a lot. I think it takes a good body to be in the best shape possible.