Shaquille O’Neal has always had some bold takes when it comes to Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid. When on the Stephen A. Smith Show earlier this week, Shaq made what could be his hottest take yet.

What Shaq Said

Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Television analyst and hall of fame basketball player Shaquille O’Neal walks on the court before game three of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Shaq made the claim that Embiid will become the best big man in the NBA next season. He specifically mentioned Nikola Jokic as the player Embiid will surpass.

“Joel Embiid is going to dominate this year. You heard it here first. Joel Embiid will be the best big man in the league. He’s passing up the Joker this year.”

This may seem like an insane take from Shaq, but looking into it a little more, is he wrong? Let’s dive into the chances of this happening, as well as how Embiid can prove him right next season.

How Joel Embiid Can Surpass Nikola Jokic

Jan 16, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) controls the ball against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Embiid has always been compared to Jokic due to the positional and MVP rivalry that developed over the years. The consensus was always the same: Jokic is the better player, but mostly due to the fact that Embiid cannot stay healthy.

The one season Embiid was mostly healthy was the year he won the MVP award. So, is Jokic really a better basketball player than Embiid? Or is it just that he is available more often?

Jokic is an incredible player that, when asking almost any NBA fan, is currently better than Embiid. He’s been able to have better longevity and carry over his MVP success longer than Embiid has. Now, how can Embiid change that next season and prove Shaq right?

Embiid will need to play in at least 50 games to even be in the conversation. He hasn’t come close to that mark since 2022-23 when he won the NBA MVP award. In fact, he hasn’t even played more than 40 games since then.

The roster around Embiid has never been better. The new acquisitions of Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, along with some other bench signings like Dean Wade and Anfernee Simons, give him his best chance yet at an NBA championship.

Jokic does not have this same opportunity with the Denver Nuggets. They are currently in a very tough spot, trying to find a way to retain Peyton Watson and get under the second apron. The roster may look completely different come opening night.

So, if Embiid stays relatively healthy, plays his usual dominant basketball, and makes a run with his new teammates, will Shaq end up correct?

End Of My Shaquille O’Neal Joel Embiid Rant

May 10, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on against the New York Knicks in the second quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

If Embiid goes out next season and plays more than 50 games, averages nearly 30 points like normal, and is able to reach the NBA Finals? That sounds like a recipe to overtake Jokic and prove Shaq correct.