"I hope he gets mad": Shaquille O’Neal pulls no punches as he savagely assesses Joel Embiid’s fall from grace 

Former NBA star Shaquille O'Neal pulled no punches when he talked about Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid. There's a lot of negative talk about Embiid in the past few seasons due to his injuries. It has held him back, limiting his time on the floor, which has put him out of certain rankings.

Heading into the new year, O'Neal claimed that the 76ers' star is no longer comparable to his rival, Nikola Jokic. Before the injuries started to plague the Cameroonian center, he was among the top big men in the league and was battling against the Denver Nuggets star.

This year, he has to prove himself once again in front of the critics, his peers and the fans. After being limited to just 19 games last season, there's an expectation that Embiid will need to be on the floor consistently.

Due to that, O'Neal wants to motivate the 2023 MVP to have a better campaign ahead of him.

Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.

"He's just been unconsidered for NBA top big man," O'Neal said. "He's out the list now, and you can tell him I said it.

Shaq brought up Embiid and Jokic's rivalry from the previous couple of years. The Serbian superstar is the only large guy who is regarded as an elite talent, though, since he has slipped out of the race.

"It's disappointing and I hope he hears this and gets mad and I hope he dominates. But that hasn't been the case... I'm just trying to motivate."

Throughout the whole offseason, Joel Embiid has been preparing his physique for the 2025–2026 NBA season. Especially with what happened last year, when the team missed the playoffs. The star big man and the team are on a mission to do better this year.

---

Joel Embiid is predicted to win the Comeback Player of the Year award

Throughout his career, Joel Embiid has received several honors. He's been an All-Star and an All-NBA talent multiple times. The big man has also been the MVP of the league at some point.

This season, Embiid could add another award to his resume. According to the New York Post's Mike Vaccaro, he believes the seven-time All-Star could win the Comeback Player of the Year.

"Joel Embiid will play well enough to win Comeback Player of the Year," Vaccaro wrote.

The thing is, there isn't any Comeback Player of the Year in the NBA. But it tells a lot about what kind of year the 76ers star could have this season. After a disappointing 2024-25 season, Embiid is expected to avenge his team.

Many experts believe that Joel Embiid will be back to his All-Star form. Many also trust in his ability to stay healthy throughout the year.

Edited by Reign Amurao