Philadelphia 76ers: Get your All-Star votes in for Joel Embiid

*spoiler alert* Joel Embiid is going to make it to the All-Star game one way or another.

Currently ranked third in Eastern Conference voting behind Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Embiid has a two-to-one lead on the next votes getter, Jayson Tatum, as of January 20th. While a roughly 1.5 million vote lead is likely insurmountable for fans of the 19-year-old Boston Celtics superstar, even if Embiid somehow falls out of the top-3 in frontcourt fan voting, between the media members and his peers, he should still remain an All-Star starter for the fifth-straight season.

Worst-case scenario, Embiid is a lock to be voted in by the NBA’s coaches, especially among Eastern Conference players, so it’s safe to say the best player in the world will be on the court for a game with no real consequences other than all-time pedigree.

Still, if you have the time, why not get on NBA.com or simply place a vote on Twitter to help get Philly’s favorite son to the All-Star game? Even with Ben Simmons’ write-in campaign a certified dud, at least one member of the Philadelphia 76ers will be represented on the court alongside some potential future teammates.

The Philadelphia 76ers should see their All-Star streak extend to five.

Joel Embiid truly is one of the best players in the NBA.

He ranks fourth in points at 28.4, 10th in rebounds at 10.6, and still somehow ranks second on his team in assists, which is equal parts a symptom of poor roster composition and a testament to his ever-evolving game. Despite being a legit 7-footer who tips the scales 20 pounds shy of 300, Embiid leads the NBA in clutch scoring and has led a Philadelphia 76ers squad down $33 million in on-court salary to a 23-11 record when he’s on the court.

If that doesn’t scream All-Star, I don’t know what does.

To make matters all the more impressive, Embiid has scored 30-plus points in 14 of his last 17 games and just put up 50 on the Orland Magic on his home court, the third-most points scored by any player in the NBA this season regardless of position or conference.

Sidebar: Do you know which two players have scored more points in a game than Embiid this season? That would be none other than Trae Young at 56 and Kevin Durant at 51, both of whom could join Embiid in the Eastern Conference’s All-Star starting lineup.

In a normal season, Joel Embiid’s numbers would be incredibly impressive, but this isn’t a normal season. No, between Ben Simmons’ absence, a string of COVID outbreaks, and the ever-rotating cast of characters teams have been forced to rely on in any given contest, Embiid has taken the Philadelphia 76ers’ entire fortunes on his shoulders and has kept a team that shouldn’t be particularly competitive in the thick of the Eastern Conference conversation. If that doesn’t scream All-Star, let alone legit MVP candidate, then I don’t know what does.