Photo Credit: AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack

Jay Williams Believes Shaquille O’Neal Would’ve Struggled Guarding Joel Embiid If They Played Against Each Other

Joel Embiid has been putting on a show for the Philadelphia 76ers this season, averaging 29.8 points (1^st in the league), 11.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on 49.4% shooting while elevating the team to the second spot in the Eastern Conference. 

He has helped bring back the center position to prominence with his versatile skillset and dominance in both ends of the floor. He has shown flashes of all-time great potential and has drawn a ton of comparisons to past big men like Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal.

As Embiid continues to blow everyone out of the water with his absurd level of play, former Chicago Bulls and now-media personality Jay Williams heaped plenty of praise to the 27-year old superstar. 

Appearing on ESPN’s KJM, Williams weighed up Embiid to O’Neal, claiming that the Hall of Fame NBA center wouldn’t be able to guard the Sixers big man.

“Joel Embiid is on his way to be the first center since Shaq, to lead the NBA in scoring. Remember when we talked about ‘what happened to traditional bigs?’ They’ve morphed into Joel Embiid.

 I think Shaq would have fits trying to guard him. Shaq wouldn’t be able to guard him. I would float him on the perimeter all day long. I know scouting reports of when he was a young Shaq and they would just string him out on the perimeter cause he still had a hard time guarding pick and rolls. I would put Joel Embiid in that situation.”