Following an explosive offseason that completely reshaped the NBA landscape, Shaquille O’Neal is laying down a stark reality for the newly loaded Philadelphia 76ers. Shaq has been vocal about supporting LeBron James’ move, discussing Tyrese Maxey’s role and previously questioning Joel Embiid’s standing among the NBA’s elite big men. During a recent appearance on SportsCenter, host Treavor Scales checked if O’Neal’s opinions have changed. But the big man emphatically issued a firm ultimatum to these Sixers that anything short of a championship is an outright failure.

“Championship or bust,” O’Neal said, revealing his expectation from the new-look squad. “You know, you got the great LeBron, you got great Embiid who was, couple, like three, four years ago Charles [Barkley] and them would always say how he’s the best big man. Joker has surpassed him, Wembanyama making a name for himself. My question to Joel: does he want it back? And if he does, please show me.”

O’Neal further made it abundantly clear that with this level of star talent, excuses like chemistry issues or adjustment periods will not be tolerated.

“I know LeBron wants to get one last one, Jaylen is feeling slighted, Maxey is making a name for himself—it’s definitely the team to watch,” he continued. “I don’t want to hear ‘next year’ or, you know, ‘we got to work together.’ This team is put together to win the championship now. And I think if they don’t win the championship, as players, I think all those players will be very, very disappointed. They have, they have all the pieces they need.”

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LeBron James departed the Los Angeles Lakers after an eight-year run that included a 2020 championship, choosing to sign a two-year, $8 million deal with Philadelphia for his historic 24th NBA season. Meanwhile, the 76ers pulled off a blockbuster trade, sending Paul George to Boston for Jaylen Brown, giving Philadelphia a star-studded starting lineup featuring four stars and rookie sensation VJ Edgecombe, with LeBron’s former Lakers teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also joining the revamped roster.

That said, O’Neal’s blunt warning complements his recent defense of LeBron’s decision to leave Los Angeles. While his Inside the NBA colleague, Charles Barkley, labeled James’ move as “ring chasing,” Shaq defended the 41-year-old icon, framing it as “ring continuancy” rather than legacy hunting.

Meanwhile, the Big Aristotle has flip-flopped on Embiid. After previously criticizing Embiid and questioning his standing among the league’s elite big men, O’Neal has now reversed course – placing his hopes on Embiid while simultaneously putting the pressure on him to deliver.

“He’s gonna be healthy…Joel Embiid is going to dominate this year. You heard it here first. Joel Embiid will be titled the best big man in the league. He’s passing up the Joker this year. He’s going to work this year,” Shaq said in July on the Stephen A. Smith Show.

Shaq believes James and Brown will serve as the catalyst Embiid needs to reclaim his standing as the NBA’s premier big man over Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama. However, as O’Neal made clear to Treavor Scales, individual dominance is no longer enough. For Embiid, James, and the 76ers, the only benchmark that matters now is lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.