Joel Embiid has spent the past few seasons fighting through injuries rather than chasing individual accolades, but Shaquille O’Neal believes that is about to change. The Hall of Famer made his feelings clear during a recent appearance.
Shaquille O’Neal Predicts Joel Embiid’s Potential Impact
Appearing on The Stephen A. Smith Show, O’Neal declared that Embiid is poised to reclaim his spot as the league’s top center this season, pushing past Denver’s Nikola Jokić in the process.
Shaq says Joel Embiid will be the best big man in the NBA this season:
“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.”
(Via @stephenasmith) https://t.co/UnhoYknTa2 pic.twitter.com/OVvfxOMAQF
— NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) July 27, 2026
“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,” O’Neal said.
The bold prediction comes after a turbulent stretch for Embiid, who has played just 96 games over the last three seasons due to ongoing injury issues.
Even in limited action last season, he still averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks in 38 games, shooting 48.9 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from three.
Philadelphia finished 45-37, made it out of the first round by beating the Boston Celtics in seven games, but was swept by the eventual Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks in the semifinals.
Embiid is entering this season under a three-year, $187,873,836 extension he signed with the 76ers in September 2024, a deal that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season and keeps him under contract in Philadelphia through the prime years of his career. The former MVP has spent his entire career with the franchise since being drafted third overall in 2014.
Philadelphia dramatically reshaped its team this offseason, first by acquiring All-NBA wing Jaylen Brown in a trade with the Boston Celtics, then by landing LeBron James in free agency after a lengthy recruitment effort led by Tyrese Maxey and Embiid himself.
With Maxey, Edgecombe, Brown, James, and Embiid now forming a projected starting five, the Sixers enter the 2026-27 season with arguably their most talented roster in franchise history, giving Embiid more support than he has had at any point in his career.
Whether O’Neal’s prediction holds up will largely depend on health, the same factor that has derailed Embiid’s last several seasons. But with a healthier supporting cast and a roster built to lighten his individual load, the conditions appear to be in place for Embiid to make good on the bold claim.
Only time will tell how Embiid performs, along with the rest of the supporting cast. Their health will be the biggest deciding factor, as we have witnessed with many super teams over the years.
There have been several star-studded rosters that underperformed due to injury troubles, and the Sixers should be hoping that they won’t turn out to be one of them in the upcoming season.
