Shaquille O'Neal's definitive criticism of Joel Embiid: "He will never win the ring if he doesn't change his attitude"

Joel Embiid debuted yesterday in the 2024/25 season with a disappointing performance in the loss of Philadelphia 76ers against the New York Knicks. After the game, a Shaquille O'Neal who had been eager didn't hold back and made it very clear that, barring an unexpected turnaround, the Cameroonian will retire without any rings on his fingers.

"In New York, it's a tough team to face," O’Neal said. "But this was the fear I had with Joel Embiid. You announce with arrogance, 'I'm not going to play consecutive games, Ernie. I'm not injured, but I'm sore. I'll come back when I feel like it.' Now, when you say things like that, you're supposed to come back with extra energy. 0-3, I would've been 0-15. But you know what they would've said. 'Hey, Shaq isn't playing well, but he's playing aggressively.' The plan they have is not working. And not only that, I say it with respect. Joel Embiid will never win a championship unless he changes his mindset and attitude."

For him, Joel Embiid's approach is incompatible with the aspirations of a champion, and the statistics and results don't lie: the lack of consistency and an apparently complacent attitude may end up leaving him without the ring. In a strong tone, Shaq declared that Embiid won't see a championship unless he transforms his mindset and focuses on winning for real, instead of relying on fouls as his main tool.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La rajada definitiva de Shaquille O"Neal a Joel Embiid: "Nunca ganará el anillo si no cambia su actitud"