Dwight Howard believes Joel Embiid is the only modern center who could truly challenge prime Shaquille O’Neal. Speaking on the Curious Mike podcast, the former Defensive Player of the Year gave Embiid major praise, saying his combination of power, skill, and footwork would make him a serious problem for even the most dominant big man in NBA history.
“I’ve got to give Embiid his props,” Howard said. “I know I played on his team. When he played against me, he was super young, but the dude is nice. I felt like if he had stayed healthy, he would probably be the only player at that time who I could see giving Shaq problems, if he was playing Shaq one-on-one.”
Not many players have matched the sheer power of Shaquille O’Neal in his prime, but Joel Embiid may be one of the few who could hold his own in a matchup. While he’s not as big, durable, or strong as the Diesel, he could get the advantage by out-thinking him when it counts.
“He knows how to play the game. He knows how to draw fouls. He knows how to do all the euro steps. He has the jump shot. He has the whole package. 100 percent healthy, Joel is a problem. He could be top 10.”
As a four-time champion, former MVP, and 15x All-Star, Shaquille O’Neal’s legacy is unmatched and his place among the all-time great centers is undeniable. He dominated the NBA for years and has a stacked resume to show for it. Compared to modern-day centers, he’s on a completely different tier of greatness that some believe will never be surpassed.
For Dwight Howard, however, Joel Embiid is arguably the only one who could carry on his legacy even though he’s off to a rough start. To date, the superstar big man has struggled to stay healthy and available for his team and missed all but 19 games last season as the 76ers finished 13th in the East at 24-58.
Going into this campaign, the 76ers are in a state of uncertainty as they reflect on what went wrong. With no choice but to run it back, their only hope of redemption comes from Embiid, who has yet to make it past the second round of the playoffs. Fortunately, Embiid has the natural talent to be one of the best players in the game and he’s feeling confident after a productive summer.
This season, alongside Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, Joel Embiid plans to lead a resurgence in Philadelphia but the process will not be easy. A lot will need to go their way and, most importantly, the star big man will need to stay healthy, but there is a route to prosperity if Embiid can take them there.
If Joel Embiid can finally stay healthy and lead the Sixers on a deep playoff run, it would go a long way toward validating Dwight Howard’s praise. For all his dominance, Embiid’s career has been defined as much by setbacks as by success, but the talent has never been in question. With his skill, size, and touch, he has the tools to join the pantheon of all-time great centers and maybe even prove that, in the right era, he could’ve gone blow for blow with prime Shaq.
