“I'm the MVP and y'all made a mistake 2 years in a row” – Shaquille O'Neal counts on Joel Embiid for playing more aggressively to claim his MVP status
Shaquille O'Neal has always advocated for the big men in the league. He recently stated that he wants Joel Embiid to show the league that they made a mistake in not giving him the MVP award last year.
The decision could have gone either way last season as Embiid and Nikola Jokic both had incredible campaigns. However, the league awarded Jokic for the second consecutive year after he led the Denver Nuggets to a sixth-placed finish in the 2021-22 Western Conference standings.
Although Embiid did not win the MVP award, he won the scoring title. He was neck-and-neck with LeBron James but the four-time NBA champ was ineligible due to an injury.
Shaquille O'Neal has lauded Embiid for an impressive run in his last four games. However, he believes the Philadelphia 76ers' big man should have started dominating earlier.
On " The Big Podcast," he said:
(From 23:15)
"I wish he would have started the season off like this because I'm looking at the MVP standings and he's nowhere there. You know they talk about Luka Doncic, they talk about Jayson Tatum, a few other names are thrown in there but I would have liked to see his name.
Because look the last two years it could have been him or the Joker, they gave it to the Joker two times in a row.
"I like to always put myself in these guys' position. If it was me I'm coming and letting people know, 'Hey, I'm the MVP and y'all made a mistake two years in a row.' But he started off kind of slow but he's playing well now and he's injured he won't be there tonight but hopefully he does well and they go pretty far."
Embiid is currently averaging 32.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while shooting 52.1% from the field. He has featured in only 12 of the Sixers' 18 games so far.
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Shaquille O'Neal has heaped praise on Joel Embiid in the past
O'Neal has always been a big proponent of paint dominance, especially since that was an area he thrived in. Embiid is a decent perimeter shooter, but Shaq has continuously expressed disappointment whenever Embiid is not doing most of his work in the paint.
Nonetheless, Shaq has often heaped praise on Embiid when it is well-deserved. O'Neal believes the five-time All-Star could be the best center in the league because of how dominant he can be on both ends of the floor.
After an incredible 33-point performance from Embiid in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference first round, Shaquille O'Neal was convinced he should win the MVP award. On "NBA on TNT," he said:
"Me and Chuck (Charles Barkley) been on it for the last two years. I've got nothing to say. You get the golf clap from me Mr. Embiid, you are my MVP.
"I don't know how the votings go, that's how you talk trash to the coach, tell him what you gonna do, and you dominate. He's super-focused, he wants to be a champion, he's playing great."
Embiid is currently sidelined due to a foot injury and will miss the third consecutive game on Friday night against the Orlando Magic. In his absence, the Sixers have a 3-3 record.
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