NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal is no stranger to controversy. From questioning Dwight Howard’s dedication to challenging LeBron James’ “killer instinct,” Shaq has frequently put current stars under the microscope. Now, as he had just started to settle on his recent feud with Rudy Gobert, it seems like the seven-footer has got himself into another one. In a recent episode of the Run it Back podcast, former NBA forward Chandler Parsons quickly jumped to Joel Embid’s defense after O’Neal had commented on the latest development of the 76ers star’s injury issue.

“He’s [Joel Embiid] put in hours and hours of work and still hasn’t been able to be available which I get is frustrating, and sometimes it comes off, maybe soft or doesn’t want to play or you see a guy at a dinner and he didn’t play that night and the fans react. I hate it so much because they don’t see the 10 hours of rehab that he was just doing before that, so I disagree with this… These comments were a little premature but the fact, the idea that he doesn’t want to be the man to me is silly,” said Parsons during the show.

The 76ers have decided to hold Embiid out till now for what they have termed left knee management. Last season, he played in just 39 games due to knee injuries but returned in time for the playoffs and for a short stint with Team USA’s gold medal run at the Paris Olympics this summer. While the status of Embiid’s injury has not been revealed by the Philadelphia 76ers as of late, Embiid was quick to weigh in.

“If I had to guess, I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career,” said Embiid ahead of the season opener last week. This particular comment by Embiid forced Shaq to deliver a bold criticism of him. “I actually want him to take it personal. Like you can’t come out before the season and say and I’m not playing back to back… Say it again spell it S-O-F-Capital T,” the 4x NBA champ said on The Big Podcast with Shaq.

Certainly, the numbers back up Parsons’ argument in support of Embiid. Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers center averaged 34.7 points, 11 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. In the 2022-23 season, he became the first center to be named the MVP since Shaquille O’Neal himself in 2000.

NBA observers aren’t missing what’s ironic in Shaq’s criticism – O’Neal was the epitome of playing himself into shape during the regular season and saving what he had for the playoffs. Maybe what’s happening today is that today’s stars, such as Embiid, are just taking as much control as possible about their health so that they’re in the best position to deliver when it truly matters. However, this wasn’t the only criticism given by Shaq.

Shaquille O’Neal questioned Joel Embiid’s determination to win the championship

The phrase “History is the Witness that testifies to the passing of time” worked quite well in the case of the seven-footer. Why? In the past, we have seen that whenever the Los Angeles Lakers legend had gone into a feud with someone, it has taken days to settle. The same is the case now.

After Joel Embiid got temporarily out of the game due to his knee injury, criticism has constantly pored in. During the same episode of his podcast, Shaq questioned Embiid’s motive for the championship and even gave a hint that the 30-year-old is not serious about it. “He’s picking and popping and shooting jumpers. I don’t understand. To me, it just shows that he doesn’t want to win the championship,” said Shaq during his podcast.

Not only this but O’Neal even tried to state that Embiid’s behavior is not his injury history, but rather money. “When you’re making that much money, are you really that motivated?” added Shaq. Embiid is making $51.4 million this season and is set to earn almost $70 million in the last year of his new contract. The NBA community is, however, divided on this issue, with opinions varying widely. While some support Embiid’s decision to prioritize his health, others share Shaq’s concerns about his commitment to winning a championship.