Shaquille O’Neal isn’t easing the burden on Joel Embiid now that LeBron James is in Philadelphia. If anything, he’s putting the spotlight right where he thinks it belongs.
On a recent appearance on The Old Man and The Three podcast with Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson, O’Neal said Embiid is the one who has to answer the biggest questions for the 76ers as they head into the 2026-27 NBA season with championship expectations.
“I'm putting all the pressure on Joel. Joel has to step up. I don't want to see no jumpshot shooting Joel, I don't want to see ‘my knees hurting.'”
For O’Neal, this is about more than production. It’s about whether Embiid can stay on the floor long enough for Philadelphia to make the most of its window with James.
“I just did the Stephen A. show before I did y'all and Stephen A. said he missed 150 games in three years. Damn… He's gonna have to come in healthy.
Hopefully he can stay healthy but I want to see him dominate because I remember two or three years ago, we were putting him and Joker real close as the best big man in the league. And he kind of had the edge even though Joker won the MVP but Joker is just leading with that title now - the best big man in the league.”
That message lines up with what O’Neal already said on The Stephen A. Smith Show, where he backed Embiid to take the crown back from Nikola Jokic.
“I'm calling it right now. He's going to be healthy this year.
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. He's going to work this year.”
“I’m putting all the pressure on Joel … I don’t want to see ‘my knees hurting’ … I want to see him dominate” -- @shaq says Joel Embiid is the key to the Sixers success even with adding LeBron + Jaylen Brown pic.twitter.com/3D64cexfbs
— TheOldManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 29, 2026
With James now alongside Embiid, Philadelphia has a roster built to scare the league. O’Neal’s comments make the expectation plain: if the 76ers are going to chase a title, Embiid has to look like the force who once had him in the same conversation with Jokic at the top of the center hierarchy.
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