Comparing players across eras is always a hot topic that sparks debates among NBA fans. Whether it’s wondering how a player from the 1980s would do in today’s spacing era or if a guard could handle the toughness and hand-checking of the 1990s, it gets people talking.
As always, Shaquille O’Neal had something to say. On a recent episode of his podcast, “The Big Pod,” he was joined by former Memphis Grizzlies star Zach Randolph. In a conversation about which current players could have held their own in O’Neal’s era, Joel Embiid’s name came up. O’Neal clarified that he doesn’t think Embiid would have lasted in the league back then.
Shaquille O’Neal Wants Big Men to Go Inside
While Randolph said Embiid would thrive in past eras because of his skills, O’Neal disagreed. He had a problem with the fact that when he previously asked Embiid to play more from the post, Embiid told him, “Guys don’t play like that no more.”
Shaq on how Joel Embiid plays basketball:
“I would give you my lunch but I’m homeless and I might die today.”
NEW EPISODE ft. Zach Randolph is LIVE: https://t.co/r3YgRJkxr2 pic.twitter.com/VJUtv67AmX— The Big Podcast (@bigpodwithshaq) June 19, 2025
That comment didn’t sit well with O’Neal, who made a Hall of Fame career out of being a dominant force in the paint. When he sees someone like Embiid, who has the size to dominate down low but chooses not to, it just doesn’t make sense to him.
And because no O’Neal opinion comes without a joke, he compared Embiid’s comment to a situation where a bully asks someone for lunch and the reply is, “I would, but I’m homeless.” Shaq’s tone made it clear how frustrated he is with how big men play today.
In truth, O’Neal might be talking about more than just Embiid. Over the past three seasons, Embiid has ranked second only to Nikola Jokic in post-up possessions per game. His averages since 2022-23 are 4.5, 5.8, and 4.6. That is a drop from earlier in the tracking era, when Marc Gasol led the league with 7.2 post-ups per game in 2015-16.
O’Neal wants big men to play the way he did. Embiid has the body and ability to do it. But if recent trends continue, O’Neal will likely be let down by how centers play for years to come.
