Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has stirred the pot with his recent take on the Gil’s Arena podcast, claiming that the NBA’s new 65-game minimum rule is keeping Joel Embiid from going toe-to-toe with Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic in the MVP race. The rule, introduced in the 2023-24 season, requires players to suit up for at least 65 games to be eligible for awards like MVP, Sixth Man, Defensive Player, and Clutch Player of the Year—a bittersweet policy for injury-prone stars like Embiid.
Embiid has consistently been one of the league’s most dominant centers, averaging a monster 34.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 5.6 assists on 52.9% shooting last season. It was MVP-level performance until a mid-season injury sidelined him, cutting his season short with just 39 games. The NBA community has praised his potential, but as Arenas pointed out, the rule means Embiid must now stay healthy to chase awards he could have won if not for injuries.
Since entering the league in 2014, Embiid has faced a string of setbacks, missing his first two seasons and never playing more than 70 games in a single season. Injuries have overshadowed his career, leading him to once claim he’d be in the “GOAT Conversations” if he could only stay healthy. Despite the challenges, Embiid’s talent is undeniable, and fans are watching to see if he can prioritize his health and reclaim his place among the NBA’s elite as the new season kicks off.
