Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal recently sat down for an interview with the New York Post, where an interesting question was posed to him. If O’Neal were a general manager, which player would he select, past or present, with the No. 1 pick?
In typical O’Neal fashion, he went with himself. He certainly wouldn’t be a bad option, but who would he pick if he weren’t in the equation?
“I’d probably go with [LeBron James] because Bron — and I know this is a Kobe [Bryant] comparison — Bron had it when he came in,” O’Neal told The Post. “It took Kobe two or three years to get it. Bron had it when he came in, so I’d probably go with Bron.”
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant both entered the NBA straight out of high school in 2003 and 1996, respectively. One was a lot readier to shine on the big stage than the other.
James averaged 20.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003-04. He made the All-NBA Second Team in just his second season and finished second in MVP voting in his third.
By contrast, Bryant averaged 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Los Angeles Lakers in 1996-97. He came off the bench in both his rookie and sophomore seasons and only became a starter in his third year. Bryant then made the All-NBA Second Team and the All-Defensive First Team in his fourth year, establishing himself as a superstar.
Even if you take away how these two started their careers, James would be the better option. Bryant was great, but just not as good as him.
James has won four titles, four Finals MVPs, four MVPs, one scoring title, and one assists title. His longevity is unlike anything we have ever seen, and it has led to him becoming the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. He is going to put the record beyond reach.
As for Bryant, he won five titles, two Finals MVPs, one MVP, and two scoring titles. He has won more championships, but there is a difference here.
James was the best player on his team for all four title runs. Bryant wasn’t for all five of his, which explains the lack of Finals MVP. He won his first three championships with O’Neal on the Lakers, and the big man was clearly the better player in the first run. You could argue he was better for the second one, too, and that they were only equals for the third.
Bryant and O’Neal should have won more, but the partnership only lasted eight seasons. Tensions between the two grew over time, and they split in 2004. Bryant and O’Neal would eventually mend fences post-retirement, and the latter has been one of the former’s biggest supporters in recent years. It is why it was a bit surprising to see him pick James here.
O’Neal has claimed players don’t fear James the way they feared Bryant and Michael Jordan. He also has Bryant over James on his all-time list.
