Being able to score at an elite level consistently for a single team is quite difficult, let alone lead the league in scoring. However, each season, the player who leads the league in scoring is awarded the NBA scoring title. But scoring more doesn’t mean you will naturally carry your team to victory.
More often than not, the winner of the scoring titles is stranded on an underperforming team and they fail to succeed in the postseason. The best example of this stat is that since 2000, there has been no player who has won an NBA championship with the scoring title.
The stat was brought to light by Reddit user u/Wild-Apricot-9161. At first, it might seem surprising, but on a closer look, you will understand it’s not that big of a deal. Just last season, Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry led the league in scoring, but his team struggled in the postseason. The reason being, the Warriors were too reliant on Curry.
On the other hand, achieving the feat of winning both the accolades makes it that much unique. In fact, Shaq’s 2000 NBA season unarguably deserves a place in the NBA history books. He had a perfect season with the Los Angeles Lakers, which ended in winning the league title.
The cherry on the top is the fact that, along with winning the title, he also won the regular-season MVP award, Finals MVP, All-Star MVP, making him the last center to achieve all the aforementioned feats in a single season.
With the new season on the way, maybe someone will join Shaq as the holder of this unique feat. But, considering how the teams are currently in the league, it is hard to see that happening.
In both conferences, the top dogs have multiple superstars on their team. So it’s hard to say any player will rise above the rest and win both the awards. But it’s the NBA, so never say never.
Do you think any current player in the league has what it takes to achieve a similar record to Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
