Newsletter
Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Reading: Shaquille O’Neal Said Tim Duncan Was The Only Big Man He Could Never Break: “Whenever I Run Into A Tim Duncan Fan Who Will Say Tim Duncan Is The GOAT, I Won’t Disagree With Him.”
Fadeaway WorldFadeaway World
Search
  • Fadeaway World
  • NBA News & Analysis
  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA News & Media
  • Exclusive Interviews
  • NBA 2K
Follow US
Home > NBA News & Analysis > Shaquille O’Neal Said Tim Duncan Was The Only Big Man He Could Never Break: “Whenever I Run Into A Tim Duncan Fan Who Will Say Tim Duncan Is The GOAT, I Won’t Disagree With Him.”

Shaquille O’Neal Said Tim Duncan Was The Only Big Man He Could Never Break: “Whenever I Run Into A Tim Duncan Fan Who Will Say Tim Duncan Is The GOAT, I Won’t Disagree With Him.”

Divij Kulkarni
Aug 19, 2022
2 Min Read
Share

Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan were as different as two NBA superstars can be. Both were big men who dominated inside, but that’s where the similarities ended. While Shaq was brash, larger-than-life, and outspoken, Duncan was reserved, humble, and coachable. The two played for the most successful franchises of the 2000s, Shaq for the Los Angeles Lakers and Duncan for the San Antonio Spurs. 

O’Neal has 4 rings to Duncan’s 5, but he dominated for 3 straight seasons while Tim’s success was more spread out. The Spurs won 5 rings in 15 years, while Shaq’s 4 came in 6. And the Big Aristotle never backed down from any of his stellar opponents in that time; he dominated all of them without much issue. 

Except for Tim Duncan, as Shaq detailed in his autobiography, Shaq Uncut: My Story. The Lakers and Spurs had quite the rivalry when both big men were in their primes, winning 6 out of 7 championships between the two franchises following the Bulls’ dynasty’s end. And Shaq’s respect for Duncan in that time grew so much that he wrote that he doesn’t disagree with people that suggest Duncan is the GOAT.

“The Spurs won because of Tim Duncan, a guy I could never break. I could talk trash to Patrick Ewing, get in David Robinson’s face, get a rise out of Alonzo Mourning, but when I went at Tim he’d look at me like he was bored. Whenever I run into a Tim Duncan fan who will claim Tim Duncan is the GOAT, I won’t disagree with him.”

Duncan and Shaq may be extremely different, but there clearly was a lot of mutual respect between the two NBA icons. Their games and personalities differed vastly from one another, but no players can claim that they ever consistently got the best of either. It was truly a different but fun era of NBA basketball. 

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

TAGGED:Shaquille O'NealTim Duncan
Share This Article
Facebook Email Copy Link Print
ByDivij Kulkarni
Follow:
Divij Kulkarni is an NBA columnist for Fadeaway World. He has covered the NBA and the English Premier League, with 4 years of experience in creating sports content. Finding exciting and intriguing content about all things NBA is both his job and his passion. Divij loves the Dallas Mavericks and can be regularly observed getting emotional during games. Outside of basketball, he enjoys reading fantasy and sci-fi novels, consuming copious amounts of movies and TV, and spending time with his dog, Olivia. Expertise: NBA, Historical Sports ResearchFavorite Team: Dallas MavericksFeatured On HoopsHype, Sports Illustrated, Secret Base, MSNPrevious Work: Tribuna
Previous Article LeBron James Is Hyped For The New ‘Redeem Team’ Documentary He Is Producing With Dwyane Wade: “Yessir! Going To Be A Special 1!”
Next Article NBA Fans Try To Build Their All-Time Heat Team With $15: “LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Glen Rice, Ray Allen, Hassan Whiteside.”
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Newsletter
Facebook X-twitter Instagram

You Might Also Like

NBA News & Analysis

Ranking NBA Players With 20+ Seasons Played: Is Anyone Near LeBron James?

October 5, 2025
NBA News & Analysis

NBA Players Who Came Back Strong After An Achilles Injury

October 3, 2025
Mar 13, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
NBA News & Analysis

2025-26 NBA Stats Leaders Predictions: Who Will Lead In PPG, RPG, APG?

October 3, 2025
Chris Paul looks on as Team CP3 plays a game against Nightrydas at Nike EYBL at the Memphis Sports & Events Center.
Los Angeles Clippers News & Analysis

Chris Paul Hilariously Calls Out Clippers Over Training Camp Decision: “That’s Some Bulls***”

October 5, 2025

NBA - Fadeaway World

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
  • New York Knicks
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trail Blazers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
  • Washington Wizards

Pages

  • NBA Trade Rumors
  • NBA Media
  • Exclusive NBA Interviews
  • NBA 2K News & Updates

© 2025 Fadeaway World @ All Rights Reserved

  • About Fadeaway World
  • Fadeaway World Authors
  • Editorial Team
  • Ethics Policy
  • Corrections Policy
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Fact-Checking Policy
  • Contact Us
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?