The Philadelphia 76ers have not lost a beat this season after trading star guard James Harden. They have emerged as a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. Tyrese Maxey has emerged as a star caliber player and a great compliment to Joel Embiid. Speaking of Joel Embiid, the Sixers MVP candidate has borne the brunt of criticism for not being able to win a championship yet. It's a take that former NBA JJ Redick believes is unfair to Embiid. During a recent episode of Redick's podcast, The Old Man & The Three, he explained why Embiid shouldn't be unfairly criticized.

“We're falling into the same trap that we had around Giannis [Antetokounmpo] in '19 and '20 and around [Nikola] Jokic in '22 and '23,” Redick said. “Which is like ignoring the greatness and just saying ‘Oh until he wins I don't want to hear it.' Is that fair? Is that doing basketball a disservice?”

With the emergence of rings culture in the NBA, fans and media alike have often times unfairly criticized players for not winning rings despite their other Hall of Fame credentials. While the point of the game is definitely to win, it's created a culture of not recognizing greatness when greatness is in front of you.

Joel Embiid is a legit MVP candidate, one of the few top tier superstars in the NBA and the engine that has powered the Sixers into a contender. They are currently 22-9 and in third place in the East standings. But ultimately there are some who will only judge Joel Embiid and the Sixers on if they win a championship or not.