Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is officially eliminated from NBA MVP race because he won’t play in the 65 games requires for eligibility to win the award.

If he wants to maintain eligibility for the MVP title, he can’t sit out for more than five games in Philadelphia’s remaining 36 games. However, Embiid will likely be off the court for multiple weeks, making him ineligible for a repeat bid. He was diagnosed with a meniscus injury, and a timeline will be provided after this weekend.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid 's recent knee surgery will cost the NBA's reigning MVP the 65 games necessary to be eligible for this year's award, leaving open a race that once felt headed for another repeat.

Reigning Kia MVP Joel Embiid has played in 27 games overall and missed 6 of the 76ers’ last 8 games. Setting the stage this week is Joel Embiid teetering on the edge of falling off the top rung of the Kia Race to the MVP Ladder after missing Wednesday’s overtime loss at Atlanta due to swelling in his left knee.

The latest development effectively renders the reigning MVP ineligible for a shot at repeating, considering he’ll fall short of the NBA’s 65-game minimum to earn postseason awards. Embiid, 29, falls out of the race having played 34 games.