Patrick Beverley says Joel Embiid is the most dominant big man since Shaquille O’Neal

The dominant big man era arguably ended when Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal aged past his prime. However, Patrick Beverley believes that Joel Embiid is ready to take up where O’Neal left off.

The Lakers guard recently hosted Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy on his podcast, and they discussed Portnoy’s list of current favorite players.

When Embiid’s name was brought up, the internet celebrity said the Philadelphia 76ers star “talks a ton for never winning s—.” Beverley then came to the five-time All-Star’s defense.

“He’s the most dominant big man to play the game since Shaquille O’Neal,” Beverley responded.

It’s difficult to argue against the veteran point guard’s assertion, given how terrific Embiid has been in the past several seasons.

Notably, his scoring prowess is something the NBA hasn’t seen in a big man since O’Neal left. For instance, he led the league in scoring in the 2021-22 campaign with 30.6 points per game, becoming the first center since O’Neal to win the league’s scoring title.

One of the scary things about Embiid is his ability to put the ball in the basket in a variety of ways.

Like the 2000 NBA MVP, he can pound the ball inside with ease. Last season, he led the league in post-up plays with 7.8 possessions and 5.3 shot attempts per contest.

In addition, he can score well from the perimeter, a skill that O’Neal lacked. The University of Kansas product has displayed a shooting range that extends beyond the arc.

This season, Embiid has become even more potent from the field, posting a career-high 32.3 points per game on a 53.7 percent shooting clip.

Some of the things lacking on his resume are MVP awards and playoff success. The 7-footer has come close to winning the top NBA individual award twice, losing to Nikola Jokic the past two seasons. He has also yet to reach the conference finals in his career, bowing out in the conference semifinals in four of the past five seasons.

Only time will tell if Embiid can achieve those accolades in the near future.