Dwight Howard is one of the greatest NBA big men ever. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2025, and deservedly so. While Howard was a force to be reckoned with in his prime, there have been many before him who were arguably better. Shaquille O’Neal, who beefed publicly with Howard for a long time, is one big example.
In his prime, Shaq was unstoppable. The big man won three consecutive Finals MVPs during the Los Angeles Lakers’ three-peat between 2000 and 2002. A force of nature in the paint, teams would have to resort to fouling Shaq to stop him from dominating. The NBA has since evolved, and the traditional center is no longer as important. Despite that, Howard named a current superstar he thinks could have gone toe-to-toe with Shaq.
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Dwight Howard thinks a healthy Joel Embiid is the only center who can take on prime Shaq
“I felt like if he had stayed healthy, he would probably be the only player at that time who I could see giving Shaq problems, if he was playing Shaq one-on-one.”
(h/t @HoopAnalysisNet ) pic.twitter.com/gKNdtOOsAu
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) October 14, 2025
“I’ve got to give Embiid his props,” he said. “I know I played on his team. When he played against me, he was super young, but the dude is nice. I felt like if he had stayed healthy, he would probably be the only player at that time who I could see giving Shaq problems, if he was playing Shaq one-on-one.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid reacts after the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
“He knows how to play the game. He knows how to draw fouls. He knows how to do all the euro steps. He has the jump shot. He has the whole package. 100 percent healthy, Joel is a problem. He could be top 10.”
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Embiid has won an MVP just like O’Neal did. However, playoff success has eluded the Philadelphia 76ers superstar. The biggest factor behind that remains his health; Joel just cannot catch a break and stay fit for an entire NBA season. Even at his best, though, it’s a huge compliment from Howard to suggest he could take on prime Shaq in a one-on-one scenario.
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