Shaquille O’Neal vs. Joel Embiid Comparison: Embiid Has A Long Way To Go To Equal The Diesel

There is no question that 4-time NBA champion and 3-time Finals MVP Shaquille O’Neal is not only one of the best centers ever, but one of the greatest players to have ever played the game. The Diesel was dominant throughout his career, winning Rookie of the Year with the Orlando Magic and making the NBA Finals before winning 3 championships, 3 Finals MVPs, and an MVP award with the Lakers. As a member of the Miami Heat, Shaq also captured his 4th championship.

Meanwhile, in today’s NBA, Joel Embiid is the frontrunner for the MVP award and might be the most dominant big man in the game (alongside Nikola Jokic). Embiid is extremely talented offensively and has a vast skillset that includes perimeter shooting and a consistent low-post game. It is only natural that Embiid gets compared to Shaq because he has the talent to be an all-time great like the Hall of Famer was. How does Joel Embiid match up to Shaq in terms of skill and impact? It is time to find out.

Scoring – Even

Shaquille O’Neal was one of the most dominant scorers we have ever seen, averaging a career 23.7 PPG. The big man did not waste time in getting himself in position in the post, using his size to punish opposing bigs. With a consistent post hook, Shaq also had a go-to move. Throughout his career, Shaq averaged over 25 PPG 10 times and won a scoring title.

Embiid is averaging 29.7 PPG on 498.9% shooting from the field this season and has a strong chance to win a scoring title as well. Throughout his career, Joel is averaging 25.7 PPG on 48.7% FG, 33.3% 3-PT FG, and 81.1% FT. The big man has a more varied offensive skill set than Shaq due to his outside scoring, but O’Neal still has a tremendous scoring record which is why this is eve.

Athleticism – Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal was surprisingly quick and explosive for his size because he could run the floor well to get himself in position to receive the ball. O’Neal was also capable of leaping to grab rebounds and dunk over defenders, even if he weighed over 320 lbs. There was no way Shaq was slowfooted, although he had a tendency to get slower throughout the game due to fatigue.

Embiid is a talented 7’0” big man who weighs 280 lbs but has the tendency to explode off his feet to slam dunks over helpless defenders. The Cameroonian star has a host of posters on his resume already and is very capable of handling the ball on the fast break as well. Joel is a special athlete for his size, but Shaq was incredibly explosive considering his massive size. After all, just look at Shaq’s greatest dunks and it will be easy to see who has the edge.

Defense – Joel Embiid

Some critics of Shaquille O’Neal’s game often refer to his lack of superstar ability on defense, and the big man was not known as a defensive stopper. It certainly did not affect his career and success when it came to championships, and Shaq’s BPG average is very impressive. O’Neal averaged 2.3 BPG over his career and had 12 seasons averaging at least 2 BPG and 2 seasons averaging over 3 BPG.

But once again, Joel Embiid is slightly more skilled in a specific category. Joel is one of the best defensive centers in the league, mainly due to his mobility, and often does not get faked out or beat off the dribble. A more consistent defender than Shaq, Embiid has a career average of 1.7 BPG through 6 seasons and has shown more ability than Diesel in his young career.

Clutch – Shaquille O’Neal

We are all aware of Shaquille O’Neal’s inability to make free throws consistently, but he was known to make them when it counted. Also, for a player of O’Neal’s caliber with the amount of success he has had, it is impossible for him not to be clutch. Shaq was the leader of a Lakers franchise that won 3 straight championships, and he often came through when his team needed him.

Joel Embiid has the skillset to be an elite clutch player, but he has not yet proven he can get over the hump in the playoffs. Last year, Joel had 8 turnovers in a critical Game 7 against the Atlanta Hawks and deserves blame for not getting past a less talented Hawks team. Of course, there was the 2020 season when Embiid struggled in the postseason. Overall, Joel has a lot to prove in the biggest moments to be compared to Shaq as a clutch player.

Leadership – Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal was a tremendous leader, carrying the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers on his back for many years. The Diesel was not only an imposing force on the court but an imposing figure in the locker room because he would not take junk from anybody. The big man always performed for his team, and his teammates often followed suit.

Embiid is still early on in his career, with 6 seasons played, and he is developing as a leader. The center has the skills to be recognized as one of the top-5 players in the game, and he often leads with his play. If Embiid can carry the 76ers to the Eastern Conference Finals this year after handling the Ben Simmons saga very well, his leadership traits will only get better in the eyes of many.

Basketball I.Q. – Even

When it comes to basketball I.Q., Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest in NBA history at his position. That was because Shaq knew how to dominate the game because he was bigger and stronger than anyone else in the league. O’Neal did not waste time dribbling the ball, taking outside shots, or trying to prove to everybody he had no weaknesses. Rather, he put himself in position in the post and punished defenders en route to 4 championships.

We all know Joel Embiid is an elite scorer and defensive player, and he has improved his passing through the years as well. The Cameroonian is averaging a career-high 4.3 APG this season and has taken more of a responsibility to make others around him better. An elite two-way star, Joel has a tremendous basketball IQ but cannot take the edge over Shaq because the former center excelled in what he did best.

Impact – Shaquille O’Neal

Very few players have the argument for being a more impactful player than Shaquille O’Neal, Michael Jordan one of them. But there is no denying, that outside of Wilt Chamberlain, no player was more physically dominant than Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq completely owned the paint, giving the opposing team headaches on how to score against him and also defend him. Multiple times, teams threw on benchwarmers to foul out against Shaq to stop him.

Joel Embiid is one of the most impactful players in the game right now because he has elite guard-like skills at the center position. Embiid finally as a floor-spacing point guard beside him, and the best of the big man could be soon to come. Overall, as a great two-way player with improving leadership skills, Embiid is a superstar but he does not impact the game like Shaq did.

1 on 1 Game – Shaquille O’Neal

Shaquille O’Neal was horrifying to defend against in the post because he would punish defenders by dunking them through the basket. O’Neal also had an excellent hook shot, using it whenever he needed to score the ball without risk of getting to the foul line. Shaq was also imposing, and defenders would often be fearful of dealing with him one-on-one.

Embiid has incredible one-on-one skills and is unstoppable right now with a hook shot, stepback jumper, and mid-range fadeaway. There is no way he can be defended one-on-one, and that is a testament to the big man’s greatness on the floor. Joel comes extremely close to matching Shaq in one-on-one situations, but O’Neal had the edge in physical dominance.

Final Score

Shaquille O’Neal vs. Joel Embiid 5-1

Joel Embiid is a special talent and quite possibly the frontrunner for the MVP award. But he has a long way to go to be mentioned in the same breath as Shaquille O’Neal, a top-5 center of all-time and possibly a top-10 talent ever. Shaq was bigger and stronger than Joel and impacted the game on a much deeper level. Teams feared O’Neal because the big man was coming to dominate the game and made no apologies for wanting to be the most impactful star ever. Embiid has more refined skills, but he just needs to prove he can use them to his team’s success more often.

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