NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal believes that LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kawhi Leonard, and Giannis Antentokounmpo are the only players that have nothing left to prove in the NBA.
Having played 19 seasons and won 4 championships, the Hall of Famers statement certainly holds value.
King James has established himself as one of the best players in the NBA. The 36-year old is definitely on the basketball mount Rushmore. The 4x NBA champion has one of the greatest legacies in sports history.
However, the highlight of James’ legacy is bringing an NBA championship to his home city Cleveland in one of the best NBA Finals ever.
Interestingly O’Neal had played with James when the latter was a rookie and had only a few years into the league.
Regarded as the greatest shooter ever to grace the NBA hardwood, Stephen Curry has revolutionalized the game of basketball. A 3x NBA champion and the first-ever unanimous MVP in the league history, Curry is the most influential player of the last decade.
O’Neal has on several occasions admitted that the baby-faced assassin is his favorite player to watch.
One of the most intriguing personalities in the NBA, Kawhi Leonard lets his game do most of the talking for him. A 2x NBA champion and Finals MVP, Kawhi can play on both ends of the floor.
One of the biggest highlights of the 2x DPOY’s career has been bringing the city of Toronto their first NBA championship.
Currently a Clipper, Kawhi had a great playoff run before he tore his ACL. The Klaw averaged 30.4 PPG on a 57.3% shooting from the field and 39.3% from the 3-point line.
Giannis Antentokounmpo brought the city of Milwaukee their first NBA championship in over 5 decades. The superstar averaged 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 1.8 BPG during the Finals. His 50-point performance in Game 6 will go down as one of the greatest Finals performances ever.
At only age 26, Giannis is a 2x MVP, Finals MVP, DPOY, and NBA champion. With much of his prime still left, the Bucks superstar can establish himself as one of the greats.
Shaquille O’Neal’s analysis seems spot-on as these superstars have ticked all the boxes required to leave a perfect legacy behind them. Not only have these players established themselves winning individual accolades but have also reached the pinnacle of an NBA player’s career, which is winning an NBA championship.
Though Shaquille O’Neal’s list cannot be disagreed upon, there can be made a case for players such as Kevin Durant, Chris Paul, and Carmelo Anthony.
