Shaquille O’Neal is widely considered one of the best players to ever play the game. His placement among other greats, however, has always been a big topic of debate.
In a recent ranking of All-Time greats, Shaq was ranked 8th, behind Hakeem and Duncan. Shaq himself responded to it and, shockingly, admitted he would have put himself lower.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B-NRo2Aluau
The fans in the comment section obviously had their own feelings about the list. Some wanted Wilt added, and a lot wanted Kobe at least a few spots higher.
As for Shaq, one could argue he should be higher, not lower. He’s a 15x All-Star, 4x Champion, 2x Scoring Champ, and 3x Finals MVP. Over 20 seasons, he averaged 23 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. In his prime, he was unstoppable in the paint and is widely seen as the most dominant player ever.
Whether or not all that’s enough to put him in the top five is a matter of opinion. But Shaq himself clearly has profound respect for his peers and what they have accomplished on the court.
