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Shaquille O'Neal and Stephen A. Smith recently debated over who the better big man is between Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic. Embiid is one of the best big men the league has seen in modern-day basketball. But due to his lack of credentials like an NBA championship, Jokic is regarded as the best center in the league today, having won the championship last season.
O'Neal reminisced about the time when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar called him a great player. O'Neal revealed that while Kareem complimented his game before his days as part of the LA Lakers, the NBA legend wasn't too impressed with the "Big Diesel," considering how he didn't have any rings at the time.
With that in mind, Shaq believes that the same can be said for Joel Embiid at the moment.
"If Joel (Embiid) doesn't win (Stephen A. Smith) is gonna kill him," O'Neal said.
"They asked the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 'what do you think about Shaq?' And his response was 'he's pretty good, but he hasn't won yet.' Kinda broke my heart, but it was the truth. Listen, Joel Embiid is a fabulous talent, but if he doesn't win, you're gonna kill him."
Can Joel Embiid win the NBA championship?
Joel Embiid is the reigning NBA MVP, but many think that he isn't deserving of the accolade.
Embiid isn't a deserving candidate for being named one of the greatest big men to play in the league because he hasn't won the championship yet. To add more fuel to the fire, Embiid hasn't made a significant playoff run.
Fans and analysts tend not to acknowledge Embiid's presence despite the enormous numbers he puts up every game. The Philadelphia 76ers superstar is averaging 34.6 points, 11.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.1 steals per game. Embiid is also neck-and-neck with Nikola Jokic in a race for this year's league MVP award.
Despite the criticism he receives, one can't deny the talent the big man has. However, one question comes to mind: can he win the big one? Based on the turn of events last season, the Sixers have better chances of winning gold this season.
After James Harden left Philadelphia, the newfound duo of Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have effectively carried the Sixers to remain one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. They have a 23-11 record and sit third in the conference.
Given how Nikola Jokic pulled off his first championship victory without another All-Star in the Denver Nuggets, Joel Embiid is more than capable of replicating the same.
It all comes down to how he performs in the playoffs. The Sixers star has a reputation for performing poorly in the postseason. If Embiid can improve on that this year, fans might give him the flowers he truly deserves.
