Sunday, August 24, 2025

Analyst Says NBA MVP Center Is Better Than Shaq

(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)

 

The Philadelphia 76ers never hesitated to take a chance on Joel Embiid, even if that meant waiting for him.

That’s because they knew he was a special kind of talent, and even though he didn’t get into basketball until a late age, the game just came easily to him.

Fast forward to today, and Embiid is one of the marquee names in the Association, the reigning MVP, and a dominant scoring force night in and night out.

That’s why NBA analyst Bill Simmons believes Embiid is the best offensive big man since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, even ahead of Shaquille O’Neal.

In the latest edition of his podcast, Simmons compared Embiid’s season with one of Shaq’s MVP campaigns, stating that Joel is a better offensive player because he actually knocks down his free throws.

Embiid vs. Shaq for “who’s a better offensive center at their peak?” is surprisingly easy to answer in 2023 at least as regular season guys. (But can Embiid elevate in the playoffs like Shaq did?) pic.twitter.com/0RWi2leZsf

— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) December 29, 2023

Simmons argues that Embiid averages five more points per game than Shaq because of those free throws, adding that he’s not fouled late in games like Shaq was.

Yet context matters as well, and the numbers don’t tell the whole story.

For starters, the only aspect of the game in which Embiid is objectively much better than Shaq is three-point shooting.

That’s because Shaq never needed to develop that kind of shot because he was virtually unstoppable in the restricted area.

Yet Simmons raises an intriguing argument, and one that could cause conversations on social media throughout the year.

The post Analyst Says NBA MVP Center Is Better Than Shaq appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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