Many great big men have stepped onto an NBA court over the years, and putting together an all-time top five list of them is no easy task. Shaquille O’Neal, one of the greatest centers of all time, was given that task on the Straight Game Podcast, and he went down an interesting route.
“It’s two thought processes,” O’Neal said. “They talk about championships, and we talk about as a singular individual how great you are. So, I’m gonna go with championship first. Mr. [Bill] Russell number one, Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] number two. Then you probably got to go Wilt [Chamberlain], even though he has two.”
The podcast hosts weren’t a fan of O’Neal ranking Wilt Chamberlain ahead of himself, but he dismissed their protests.
“And then we’ll probably go Hakeem Olajuwon,” O’Neal stated. “… ‘Cause he actually taught me how to be a champion. And then the last one, I’ll probably give it between Patrick Ewing and David Robinson.”
When asked why he wasn’t putting himself in there, O’Neal stated he was paying homage to those who came before him. The 53-year-old then hilariously added that if he were speaking in private, he’d put himself at the top.
“If we sitting around without the audience, motherf***er, I’m number one,” O’Neal said. “But I like to be modest and humble. So I want to give it to the guys that paved the way for me.”
O’Neal, who won four titles, three Finals MVPs, one MVP, and two scoring titles, certainly would be on any top-five list of the greatest centers, but the ones he mentioned weren’t too shabby either.
Bill Russell won a record 11 titles to go with five MVPs in his career. He also made 12 All-Star and 11 All-NBA teams. There were no defensive teams or awards during his career, or else he’d have a few of those as well.
We next get to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who won six titles, two Finals MVPs, six MVPs, and two scoring titles. Abdul-Jabbar made 19 All-Star, 15 All-NBA, and 11 All-Defensive teams.
Chamberlain came in at third, and he and O’Neal are regarded as the two most dominant NBA players of all time. Chamberlain won two titles, one Finals MVP, four MVPs, and seven scoring titles. He made 13 All-Star, 10 All-NBA, and two All-Defensive teams. Chamberlain holds the record for most points in a game with 100 and also for the highest scoring average in a season at 50.4.
Hakeem Olajuwon took the fourth spot, and he won two titles, two Finals MVPs, an MVP, and two Defensive Player of the Year awards. Olajuwon made 12 All-Star, 12 All-NBA, and nine All-Defensive teams.
Lastly, we get to the fifth spot, and it was a tie between Patrick Ewing and David Robinson. Ewing never won a title or a major award, but did make 11 All-Star, seven All-NBA, and three All-Defensive teams.
Robinson, on the other hand, had a more decorated career, winning two titles, one MVP, one DPOY, and one scoring title. He made 10 All-Star, 10 All-NBA, and eight All-Defensive teams.
If we just go by the players who came into the NBA before O’Neal, this is a solid list. Moses Malone is probably the most notable exclusion, as he won a title and three MVPs.
If we also include the players who came after O’Neal, then Nikola Jokic is a name that immediately comes to mind. O’Neal had even put Jokic ahead of him on his top five list of centers in the past. He was going the respectful route here, though, so the Serbian didn’t make it in.
