MVP Odds Shift Toward Joel Embiid, Proving Again That Kendrick Perkins Is A Race-Baiting Hack

In April, Kendrick Perkins baselessly accused white NBA voters of racism.

Odds revealing that a white player called Nikola Jokic was the favorite for the award angered Perkins greatly. He claimed racist white voters cast their ballots for white players despite black players being more deserving of the award.

Perkins hoped to see Joel Embiid win the award.

At the time, Jokic was rightfully the frontrunner. He was averaging a triple-double from the center position. He led Denver to the top record in the Western Conference. No player was consistently as dominant as Jokic.

A case for Embiid lacked merit, as evidenced by Perkins only alluding to Embiid's skin color as proof he should win the award.

That was then. Today, Embiid is the frontrunner. Odds and straw polls call Embiid the presumptive winner.

It's all but certain Embiid will win the award:

What changed?

Two options exist, both of which reaffirm Perkins to be the uninformed, probably racist gasbag his critics say he is.

Scenario 1: Voters vote for the best player, regardless of race

Embiid lacked a case over Jokic at the time of Perkin's race-bait. But he lacks a case no more.

Joel Embiid was the more dominant player down the stretch. He finished the season leading the NBA in scoring, at over 33 points per game.

He propelled the 76ers to a better record in the more challenging East than the record Jokic led the Nuggets to out in the weaker West.

The Nuggets cratered some toward the end of the season, losing 10 of 19 in March and April. Further, Jokic was not quite as efficient down the stretch.

His MVP case is not as strong as when Perkins accused him of white privilege in April.

If Embiid wins the award for these reasons, Perkins will be a happy man. Although it would also debunk his accusations.

See, voters planned to vote for Jokic in late April because he had been the best player to that point. Now, voters plan to vote for Embiid because he was the best player to end the season.

In this scenario, the skin colors of the players are a non-factor. Which has been the case since -- well -- the start of MVP voting.

Whiteness infesting voting was a claim that never held weight. Only five of the past 33 winners were white. As Charles Barkley said, past voting shows no pro-white bias exists.

“Does he know how many voters are White actually or did he pull 80% out of his ass? My point is if only five white guys have won MVP in the last 30 years, that makes zero sense – his argument. Zero sense," said Barkley.

By the way, yes. He did pull the statement that 80% of voters are white out of his ass. ESPN had to correct his lie the following day.

In scenario 1: voters planned to vote for a white guy when he deserved it, but now plan to vote for a black guy because he might deserve it more.

JJ Redick pushes back on Kendrick Perkins racist insinuations about NBA voters. (Credit: Screenshot/Twitter Video https://twitter.com/SwipaCam/status/1630983952000221215)

Scenario 2: Joel Embiid wins the award because he's black.

We ended the last scenario by stating Embiid might deserve the award. That's because it's not as incontestable as when Jokic led the pack earlier this year.

Certainly, Embiid closed the gap and strengthened his. Though it's not as if Jokic is no longer a viable MVP candidate.

Jokic finished the season averaging 24.5, 11.8, and 9.8 with a field goal percentage of 63.2. He ranked 6th in offensive rating to Embiid's 26th. His net rating also topped Embiid, 17 to 39.

It's a debate. So why is Embiid such a runaway favorite?

This scenario hearkens back to a piece OutKick published on March 13, foreshadowing how Perkins' race-bait could cost Jokic the MVP.

We explained:

It’s conceivable Perkins’ commentary could influence voters, particularly white voters. Or at least force them to think twice before casting their vote for the player most deserving.

White sportswriters are hardly the most fearless of men. Most just want to fit in, feel accepted and go where the wind blows.

They fear nothing more than someone calling them racist, be it via a baseless claim. As most claims of racism are.

White NBA writers are no different than Mike Florio. They ooze white guilt as they cover majority black locker rooms for corporations that prioritize diversity over success. No joke. ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro called diversity Priority Number 1 inside ESPN.

And there’s no better way to avoid the daunted racist label — an oft career death sentence in media — than proving you are not a racist. In fact, sometimes it’s required (read about what it means to be an “anti-racist.”)

Being black could push Embiid over the finish line. Safer it is to vote for a black man and ensure the likes of Perkins cannot call you a racist (if you are white) or a sell-out (if you are black).

In fact, we already know one voter is casting his ballot based on race: Kendrick Perkins.

Perkins recently liked a tweet of mine seemingly confirming he would not vote for a white player, even if one deserved it.

Face of privilege.

Conclusion

If Embiid wins the award over Jokic because of his play, it'd prove Perkins wrong: showing voters don't vote for white players when black players are more deserving.

If Embiid wins the award over Jokic because voters are afraid of racial backlash, it'd also prove Perkins wrong: showing that while a racial bias exists in the voting pool, it isn't a pro-white bias.

Those are THE FACTS, as Perkins would tweet.

Either way, an Embiid win would prove Kendrick Perkins wrong. His commentary was reckless. He further stoked racial fumes on the basis of fiction.

And the lack of punishment he received from ESPN for lying about the voter makeup, calling fellow media colleagues racist, and inflaming a racially-motivated myth only confirms he -- not white media members -- is the privileged one.

Or as he says, PRIVILEGED.

In addition, Kendrick Perkins is incoherent, not all that bright, entitled, and bothered by white players impeding on a majority black league.

The events of the Jokic-Embiid MVP battle prove each above term applicable to him.

CARRY THE HELL ON.