The Format for the NBA's ALL-NBA Awards Needs To Change

With the NBA releasing its annual list of the fifteen players selected to an All-NBA team this week, there has been one glaring flaw that will be talked about until the end of time. That flaw being Joel Embiid, a player who had a performance that has been unanimously recognized as top two all season, culminating with a second year as the NBA’s runner-up to MVP and being selected to be on the All-NBA second team. This is another tough break for a player who has arguably been the best player in the league over the past two seasons. The Sixers big man has been one of the most praised and talked about players in the league with a legit argument to be made that he’s the best player in the league. In fact, the conversations comparing the merits of Embiid and now two-time MVP winner Nikola Jokić often end with an understanding that both players are the right choice in any debate, a feat that is rarely achieved in today’s NBA Twitter era. I firmly believe Nikola Jokić deserved to be a back-to-back MVP, however, I possess a much stronger belief that Joel Embiid not being included on this year’s All-NBA first team is a travesty that history will ultimately regret.

The All-NBA team is a list selected by NBA media members to represent the fifteen players who have had the best overall performances throughout the season. The list is structured to include two guards, two forwards, and one center for each of the three All-NBA teams. Here we run into the crux of our issue. With Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid both being centers and only one spot on the First Team for a center the nod obviously must go to the player who won the Most Valuable Player award, Nikola Jokić. This lack of flexibility is the direct cause for Joel Embiid not being respected as a player who put forth a top two performance during the season.

Additionally, Joel Embiid’s 414 points in the All-NBA team balloting is more than Jayson Tatum’s 390, however, Jayson Tatum is on the first team and Joel Embiid is on the second team due to the positions they play. This makes no sense for multiple reasons, the first being the players with the most points should be elected to the All-NBA first team. Additionally, with news that Joel Embiid would be eligible to make the All-NBA first team as a Forward if Nikola Jokić won MVP, it appeared that no matter what Joel Embiid was a lock for First Team honors. However, for whatever reason despite his eligibility for the forward spot and earning the fifth most points in the balloting Joel Embiid’s impressive season that ultimately earned him a scoring title at 30.6 points per game will have an asterisk next to it, with a disclaimer stating he was the second-best player in the NBA for the 2022 season.

So what’s the fix? For starters, the NBA shouldn’t allow a situation where a player who is unanimously believed to be a First Team talent to be demoted to the second team on the sole basis of “position” to happen again. Additionally, the NBA should adopt a new format for the All-NBA teams that better reflects the positionless league we’ve found ourselves watching for years now. Whether it’s selecting the five players with the most impressive performances throughout the season or selecting two backcourt players and three frontcourt players, the NBA must once again show why it’s the most evolutionary league in America. While football and baseball continue to battle amongst themselves over the concept of tradition vs. evolution, the NBA has consistently been on the side of evolution in recent years. Perhaps instead of trying to implement a midseason tournament, the best showcase of the league’s well-appreciated open ears to fan feedback is changing the format for the All-NBA teams.