"He's Passing up the Joker": Shaquille O'Neal Makes Massive Statement on Joel Embiid

Joel Embiid is enjoying one of his healthiest off-seasons of his career. With the 32-year-old set to team up with LeBron James in an exciting Philadelphia 76ers team. This pairing marks a genuine title window for Philadelphia, and for Embiid personally, a chance to reclaim the "best big man in basketball" conversation from Nikola Jokic, the very rival who has kept him from that title for most of the past four seasons.

Appearing on the Stephen A. Smith show, Shaquille O'Neal was unfiltered as he discussed the Embiid-Jokic rivalry. As a four-time NBA champion and former MVP center himself, Shaq's read on big-man play carries unusual weight in this debate.

"Joel Embiid is going to dominate this year. You heard it here first, Shaq declared on the Stephen A. Smith show. "Joel Embiid will be touted as the best big man in the league. He's passing up the Joker [Nikola Jokic] this year. He's going to work this year."

Embiid and Jokic dominated the MVP for four years straight from 2021 to 2024. Jokic won the MVP in 2021 and became the first Center since Shaq himself in 2000 to win the award. After adding a second award in 2022, he was on the brink of three-peating it in 2023.

But Embiid broke his dominance and won the MVP award in 2023 as Jokic finished as runner-up, putting together one of the most efficient seasons by a center in modern history: 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists a game on 54.8% shooting.

However, Jokic won his third award in 2024, reclaiming his crown. Despite the players having immense respect for each other, the media and fan debate of the best big man always rages on.

Jokic finished a distant second in MVP voting behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the recently concluded season, collecting just 634 voting points and 10 first-place votes to SGA's 939 points and 83 first-place votes - his second consecutive runner-up finish.

Despite ranking 1st in the NBA in both rebounds and assists per game, a first-round playoff exit by the Minnesota Timberwolves hurt his credentials. It marked one of the most disappointing postseasons of Jokic's career, raising real questions about whether Denver can still get him over the hump.

Embiid, on the other hand, had a frustrating season, as he played only 38 regular-season games due to an injury recovery. An appendectomy hampered his postseason plans and restricted the Philadelphia 76ers' chances.

That period of his career was defined by an unusual run of setbacks - knee, foot and ankle issues layered on top of the surgery, which is exactly why a fully clean offseason now stands out as such a meaningful shift.

Despite Jokic clearly having the upper hand recently, Shaq's unwavering backing of Embiid comes down to the 76ers star having one a first career offseason without surgery.

Embiid's health convinces LeBron James and Shaq

Joel Embiid's durability was a huge topic of discussion between Shaq and Stephen A. Smith as well.

When SAS claimed, "He's missed 150 games over the last three years," Shaq was blown away. "Damn. He missed more games than me," he said.

Shaq was fully convinced by a report from Shams Charania regarding Joel Embiid. The ESPN reporter revealed in a statement that Embiid played a key role in convincing LeBron James to sign for the 76ers.

Embiid, alongside Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey, was reportedly among the primary recruiters who pushed LeBron toward Philadelphia over teams like the Warriors and Heat - a sign of how much LeBron's decision hinged on believing in Embiid's health.

Charania said LeBron directly asked Embiid about his health heading into the offseason. Embiid responded by revealing it was the first summer of his career without any surgeries and that he was fully healthy and locked in. That conversation stayed with LeBron and played a key role in his decision to head to the Eastern Conference.

Having suffered multiple lower-body injuries to his knee, meniscus, foot, and ankle, he even had bizarre conditions like appendicitis and Bell's palsy.

Remaining healthy without any condition for an entire off-season will boost his confidence to come out all guns blazing.

Recently, 76ers GM Mike Gansey publicly backed Embiid's readiness in a press conference.

“He has been putting in the work, up 15lbs of pure muscle. Now he’s around 295lbs but 13% body fat. We’re hoping it helps him stay healthy and dominate once again in the paint. He will take it up another level,” Gansey said.

That kind of frame added strength without added body fat is precisely the profile teams look for in a 7-footer trying to hold up over 75-plus games, which is the bar Embiid needs to clear to seriously challenge Jokic for the title of best center in the league.

With the addition of LeBron James, the 76ers have an incredible roster with Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey; there is a hope that the 76ers will end the 43-year wait for the NBA title. If they do get there, Embiid can most certainly have a season better than Jokic's if he can stay healthy.