The Philadelphia 76ers have had an impressive start to the 2023-24 season. Joel Embiid has been stellar for Philly, but Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has the upper hand in the big-man battle with his championship win. Shaquille O'Neal gave some harsh, but real advice to the Philadelphia big man.

Shaq chimes in on the Jokic-Embiid debate amid the Sixers center's stellar season

Shaq joined Stephen A. Smith to debate the comparison of Embiid to Nikola Jokic. First, Smith hit the former Lakers big man with a high claim on Embiid:

“We look at Jokic, some would say he's the best big man in basketball. But I tell you Shaq, when I look at it from a talent perspective, there are very few people on the planet that have been able to be what Joel Embiid is,” Smith said, per The Stephen A. Smith Show.

This was Shaq's brutally honest response to Smith's assertion:

“They're both great players. If Joel doesn't win, you're (Stephen A. Smith) going to kill him. Joker has that edge. He's won,” Shaq said.

The legendary center recalled an interview where Kareem Abdul-Jabbar got real about O'Neal's early-career play. When asked what he thought of Shaq, Abdul-Jabbar replied, “He's good, but he hasn't won yet.” The words broke Shaq's heart, but he realized that winning sets players apart.

In the case of Jokic versus Embiid, the Nuggets superstar has the upper hand, as he is the reigning NBA champion. Still, the Philly center has time to catch and surpass Jokic's winning resume.

The Sixers have a record of 23-11 and are third in the Eastern Conference standings. Meanwhile, Joel Embiid leads the league in scoring. If he and his squad can continue their momentum, they will win an NBA Championship in no time.