Where would you rank Embiid if he played in the 90s?

[D.Brasco]

If he played in the era of Hakeem, Shaq, Ewing, Alonzo, Robinson, Ewing etc. where would you have ranked him in the overall mix?

[penbeast0]

Is he exactly as effective as today but with 90s offenses around him or can we assume less effective due to less spacing? Is he missing as many game or can we assume no missed games due to Covid Protocols, etc.?

[D.Brasco]

Is he exactly as effective as today but with 90s offenses around him or can we assume less effective due to less spacing? Is he missing as many game or can we assume no missed games due to Covid Protocols, etc.?

I'd assume Embiid would have adapted decently to 90s offense, less 3s but maybe long 2s/more mid-range instead.

We can assume his health would be the same as its been in our time, so still somewhat injury prone. Covid of course wouldn't factor here.

[falcolombardi]

Is he exactly as effective as today but with 90s offenses around him or can we assume less effective due to less spacing? Is he missing as many game or can we assume no missed games due to Covid Protocols, etc.?

embiid strikes me as a kobe/hakeem mold guy who already goes to hard shots on his own

those midrange pull ups he often takes over the double team instead of kicking out to 3 point line are unguardable, his size and power is excelent amd his face up Drives are fairly dangerous

honestly he may be the second best offensive big after hakeem. (and later shaq)

i probably see him as the third/fourth best center in overall impact
behind hakeem, robinson (but more suited for being a playoffs first option than the admiral) and competing with orlando shaq

in the playoffs i can see him as 2nd behind prime hakeem (since robinson was in a offense first option role that was not ideal for him) but with worries about health , is very undertalked how great embiid playoffs impact métrics are

[SHAQ32]

Embiid doesn't prioritize defense enough, IMO, to be perceived as high as the 90s greats.

And you might say Shaq's defense wasn't that good; but Shaq was a freak show and that didn't matter.

[HeartBreakKid]

Probably 3rd behind Olajuwon and O'Neal. I can see him surpassing Robinson this season or so.

[kuclas]

Embiid doesn't prioritize defense enough, IMO, to be perceived as high as the 90s greats.

And you might say Shaq's defense wasn't that good; but Shaq was a freak show and that didn't matter.

Say what?

Embiid chooses when he wants to defend the rim these days. He picks and chooses when to save fouls or go hard.

It’s a delicate balance between conserving energy and going out.

Embiid impact is felt immediately when he leaves the floor as teams immediately attacked the rim.

[homecourtloss]

Embiid doesn't prioritize defense enough, IMO, to be perceived as high as the 90s greats.

And you might say Shaq's defense wasn't that good; but Shaq was a freak show and that didn't matter.

Embiid in the ‘90s would feel like he doesn’t even have to defend at all. He’s out there running around, showing on screen-rolls 30 feet from the basket, covering the entire court. He hasn’t been as good defensively this year, but on ‘90s, he’d have to so much less defensively.

As for Shaq being a “freak show,” yes, he was, but he also missed free throws and couldn’t shoot like Embiid. Embiid is currently averaging an absurd 45 points per 100 possessions, which is just wild. Shaq averaged 40 points per 100 possessions twice in his career. Jordan only once ever averaged more than 45 points per 100 possessions. From 1993 to 2005, Shaq averaged 16.7 rebounds per 100 possessions; Embiid so far in his career is averaging 17.6.

That said, peak Shaq had more impact than Embiid does right now, but Embiid would be a dominant player in any era.

[70sFan]

I think depending on a season, he would be top 3 out to top 8 player in the league. I don't think there was a season when he wouldn't be top 3 center in the league maybe outside of 1990 and 1995.

[70sFan]

Embiid doesn't prioritize defense enough, IMO, to be perceived as high as the 90s greats.

And you might say Shaq's defense wasn't that good; but Shaq was a freak show and that didn't matter.

Embiid in the ‘90s would feel like he doesn’t even have to defend at all. He’s out there running around, showing on screen-rolls 30 feet from the basket, covering the entire court. He hasn’t been as good defensively this year, but on ‘90s, he’d have to so much less defensively.

As for Shaq being a “freak show,” yes, he was, but he also missed free throws and couldn’t shoot like Embiid. Embiid is currently averaging an absurd 45 points per 100 possessions, which is just wild. Shaq averaged 40 points per 100 possessions twice in his career. Jordan only once ever averaged more than 45 points per 100 possessions. From 1993 to 2005, Shaq averaged 16.7 rebounds per 100 possessions; Embiid so far in his career is averaging 17.6.

That said, peak Shaq had more impact than Embiid does right now, but Embiid would be a dominant player in any era.

1. Even with less work on defensive end, I don't see him reaching Hakeem/Robinson level on defense. Not enough motor and mobility.

2. In comparisons of pace adjusted volume, we should take minutes played into account. Embiid plays much less minutes than Shaq or Jordan.

[feyki]

Probably same with Ewing. Better offence, worse defence, equal impact.

[jdzimme3]

Probably same with Ewing. Better offence, worse defence, equal impact.

This. Behind Hakeem, shaq, and robinson. But those guys are top 15 all time, no shame in that.

[Prokorov]

If he played in the era of Hakeem, Shaq, Ewing, Alonzo, Robinson, Ewing etc. where would you have ranked him in the overall mix?

Among bigs? 8-10.

among everyone? 18-24

[Prokorov]

Embiid doesn't prioritize defense enough, IMO, to be perceived as high as the 90s greats.

And you might say Shaq's defense wasn't that good; but Shaq was a freak show and that didn't matter.

Embiid in the ‘90s would feel like he doesn’t even have to defend at all. He’s out there running around, showing on screen-rolls 30 feet from the basket, covering the entire court. He hasn’t been as good defensively this year, but on ‘90s, he’d have to so much less defensively.

As for Shaq being a “freak show,” yes, he was, but he also missed free throws and couldn’t shoot like Embiid. Embiid is currently averaging an absurd 45 points per 100 possessions, which is just wild. Shaq averaged 40 points per 100 possessions twice in his career. Jordan only once ever averaged more than 45 points per 100 possessions. From 1993 to 2005, Shaq averaged 16.7 rebounds per 100 possessions; Embiid so far in his career is averaging 17.6.

That said, peak Shaq had more impact than Embiid does right now, but Embiid would be a dominant player in any era.

In this era shaq is probably closer to 65 points per 100.

[Matt15]

He would be around Ewing level. Hakeem, Shaq and D-Rob are above.

[70sFan]

If he played in the era of Hakeem, Shaq, Ewing, Alonzo, Robinson, Ewing etc. where would you have ranked him in the overall mix?

Among bigs? 8-10.

among everyone? 18-24

Name 8 bigs better than this year Embiid in one season, I'm waiting.

Embiid doesn't prioritize defense enough, IMO, to be perceived as high as the 90s greats.

And you might say Shaq's defense wasn't that good; but Shaq was a freak show and that didn't matter.

Embiid in the ‘90s would feel like he doesn’t even have to defend at all. He’s out there running around, showing on screen-rolls 30 feet from the basket, covering the entire court. He hasn’t been as good defensively this year, but on ‘90s, he’d have to so much less defensively.

As for Shaq being a “freak show,” yes, he was, but he also missed free throws and couldn’t shoot like Embiid. Embiid is currently averaging an absurd 45 points per 100 possessions, which is just wild. Shaq averaged 40 points per 100 possessions twice in his career. Jordan only once ever averaged more than 45 points per 100 possessions. From 1993 to 2005, Shaq averaged 16.7 rebounds per 100 possessions; Embiid so far in his career is averaging 17.6.

That said, peak Shaq had more impact than Embiid does right now, but Embiid would be a dominant player in any era.

In this era shaq is probably closer to 65 points per 100.

No, he wouldn't. That's ridiculous statement.

[HeartBreakKid]

If he played in the era of Hakeem, Shaq, Ewing, Alonzo, Robinson, Ewing etc. where would you have ranked him in the overall mix?

Among bigs? 8-10.

among everyone? 18-24

Name 8 bigs better than this year Embiid in one season, I'm waiting.

Embiid in the ‘90s would feel like he doesn’t even have to defend at all. He’s out there running around, showing on screen-rolls 30 feet from the basket, covering the entire court. He hasn’t been as good defensively this year, but on ‘90s, he’d have to so much less defensively.

As for Shaq being a “freak show,” yes, he was, but he also missed free throws and couldn’t shoot like Embiid. Embiid is currently averaging an absurd 45 points per 100 possessions, which is just wild. Shaq averaged 40 points per 100 possessions twice in his career. Jordan only once ever averaged more than 45 points per 100 possessions. From 1993 to 2005, Shaq averaged 16.7 rebounds per 100 possessions; Embiid so far in his career is averaging 17.6.

That said, peak Shaq had more impact than Embiid does right now, but Embiid would be a dominant player in any era.

In this era shaq is probably closer to 65 points per 100.

No, he wouldn't. That's ridiculous statement.

he's underrating him, shaq would be 100 points per 100.

[migya]

I don't think Embiid has the energy and effort to be better than Ewing, let alone compare to Olajuwon, Shaq and Robinson. He would've had had better offense than Mourning but it all depends how jump shot happy he is, as he'd have to work near the basket to have a bigger difference offensively than Mourning compared to him defensively. All the top Centers of the 90s, except Shaq for most of his seasons, are great defensively.

[70sFan]

I don't think Embiid has the energy and effort to be better than Ewing, let alone compare to Olajuwon, Shaq and Robinson. He would've had had better offense than Mourning but it all depends how jump shot happy he is, as he'd have to work near the basket to have a bigger difference offensively than Mourning compared to him defensively. All the top Centers of the 90s, except Shaq for most of his seasons, are great defensively.

There is no scenario where Mourning is even close to Embiid offensively. Joel isn't ATG defender, but he's not average either. I don't think you can find a legitimate argument for Mourning over Embiid, other than maybe durability (but Mourning had health problems as well).

You also don't realize that once Shaq came to the scene, Ewing was past his best. There was no season in the 1990s when all Hakeem, Robinson, Shaq and Ewing were better than 2022 Embiid.

[picko]

The main point against Embiid is durability. The skill-set offensively compares favourably to any big man from the 1990s. He could quite conceivably be a better offensive player than any of Hakeem, Shaq and Robinson in the 1990s.

Defensively I think Embiid would be better in the 1990s compared to today. More of the game was played inside and so he'd naturally be blocking or changing more shots. Defensive movement was also greatly reduced - he'd spend most of his defensive minutes down on the low block shifting from side-to-side. The physical burden of that is lower than what we expect from modern centers.

However, I certainly wouldn't assume that he'd be better defensively than the likes of Hakeem or Robinson - he doesn't have their mobility or motor - but he could certainly be as effective defensively as Shaq or the 1990s version of Ewing.

On balance, I'd lean towards favouring the best 1990s guys due to their durability advantage. Hakeem and Robinson and, to a lesser extent, Shaq were reliably on the court and able to play big minutes. Embiid also hasn't monstered the playoffs in the same manner that he has the regular season and performing in the biggest games obviously matters.

But I also think we need to move pass this convention where so many people assume that modern bigs aren't very good. There are some absolute freak show bigs in the league right now in terms of skill-set and they aren't getting the appreciation they deserve. The shift towards more perimeter-oriented basketball sidelined 7' footers for a while but they have stormed back in recent years, led by Jokic and Embiid, with an inside-outside skill-set that really is quite extraordinary.