Shaquille O’Neal Says He Would Destroy The Opponents In Today’s NBA: “I Wish I Was Playing With These Butter Cups Right Now. It’ll Be A Slaughterhouse Up There.”

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The NBA often sees players from past eras battle with players from the modern era on how much tougher the game was in their era. This came to be a major talking point after JJ Redick was called out by Bob Cousy and Jerry West for comments he made about players in the ’60s playing against plumbers.

Another former player that is often critical of the modern game is Shaquille O’Neal. The game evolved after Shaq’s retirement to being a game that favored shooters and not centers like him. There hasn’t been a dominant inside presence like Shaq in years, even though Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic have proven their case as two of the best players in the league.

Despite the achievements of Joel and Nikola, Shaq believes he would still be the best man out. He indicated the same when talking on his ‘The Big Podcast’ where he commented about rule changes hurting the NBA, players playing across eras, and how he’d dominate against modern NBA centers.  

“I think it’s hurting the game. It’s a old saying, if it’s not broke do not fix it. I think a lot of times these rules changes because people are complaining.

“It’s a lot of guys being mentioned now and only a few you can pick from this dimension and bring them in. LeBron, Steph guys like that but I’m mentioned with the old aliens.”

“So like people always, you hating, you hating. It’s not that I’m hating, I wish I was playing with these butter cups right now, I wish I was. I promise you I wish I was playing. Ah, it’ll be a slaughter house up there.” (h/t SportsKeeda)

Players like Zion Williamson and Giannis Antetokounmpo have proven that players with excellent athleticism and strength can still succeed in the NBA, so Shaq would likely still be dominant. The lack of physical contact from defenders being allowed now may even let him flourish. His free throw shooting didn’t hurt him in his prime, and it’s unfair to believe it would do so now.

Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic are excellent centers because of their versatile arsenals. Embiid has a complete scoring and defensive skill-set both inside and on the perimeter. Jokic is one of the greatest playmakers anyone has ever seen, let alone at 7 feet tall. A good coach would still highlight Shaq in the modern NBA, and his pure force would be a challenge that modern centers aren’t prepared for.   

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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