Source: JEFF HAYNES / Getty
The NBA offseason is good for two things: groundbreaking free agency news and wild hypotheticals.
After the season’s kings have been crowned, there isn’t much to do, and the age-old debate of which generation is more talented begins to take shape.
This time, someone was comparing Philadephia 76er Joel Embiid to Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal. But not only were they seeing how the two would match up, but they dared say Embiid would have the edge.
Shaq naturally caught wind of the debate and posed the question to his millions of Twitter followers.
“Let’s be honest Joel Embiid would lock up and contain a Prime Shaq,” read the screenshot he posted.
Shaq welcomed the debate, adding, “I like these conversations. give me your thoughts. you already know mine.”
But he made sure to add his signature #barbecuechickenalert hashtag signaling he’d body Embiid if the two were battling it out.
The comparisons quickly began flying on the timeline with many Shaq highlight reels and monstrous dunks as he posterized his fellow NBA players in the early aughts.
Some Twitter users even critique Embiid’s playing style and his fear of playing in the paint– which is where Shaq dominated.
“So I’m supposed to believe someone that doesn’t like to play under the basket is supposed to lock up someone that was a force of nature. No disrespect to Embiid but we not doing this today,” one Twitter user wrote.
Another says it takes great big men to challenge Shaq, writing, “only team that slowed down prime shaq was the spurs and that was because they had two of the best big men defenders in duncan and the admiral. lmao shaq is going to maltreat embiid on single coverage let’s be serious. #BarbecueChickenAlert.”
See how Twitter’s reacting to the Shaq vs. Joel Embiid debate below:
