Shaquille O’Neal is widely regarded as one of the greatest centers who ever lived, but not everyone agrees on where he stacks up against the greatest legends in basketball history. Chris “Mad Dog” Russo, for example, recently shocked the NBA community when he ranked O’Neal as the fifth-best center in history, behind guys like Hakeem Olajuwon and Moses Malone. In response to the ranking, O’Neal shut down any argument that had him lower than third among centers.
“Who the f*ck is that?…I’m the most dominant center ever,” said Shaq. “I don’t ever wanna hear another name again… so that would put me at No. 3. I passed Hakeem Olajuwon. The king beat me but I came back and beat him. Moses Malone, I passed him up four, five, six years before I retired. So, me, I would put myself at number three.”
Shaq was far from a perfect player and he had his flaws both on and off the court. But after a decorated 19-year career, O’Neal’s legacy as the most dominant player ever is hard to deny and there are very few players who even come close to matching his legacy.
Shaq Was The Embodiment Of Dominance
Drafted first overall in 1992, Shaquille O’Neal was a beast from the very beginning. Starting from his debut, Shaq would go on to make the next 14 All-Star teams before his decline in 2007. For his career, which spanned 19 years, O’Neal averaged 23.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on 66% shooting. By the time he retired in 2011, O’Neal was a basketball legend as a 15x All-Star, 4x champion, and 3x Finals MVP.
Compared to others in his position, nobody had a better peak than O’Neal but there are still debates on if he reached his ultimate potential as a player. During his career, Shaq was often called out for being out of shape and overweight and many believe that it got in the way of more success. But whether you love him or hate him, Shaq’s achievements speak for themselves and there’s nobody more deserving of being included with the greatest centers of All-Time.
Is Shaq The Greatest Laker Ever?
When it comes to the Lakers franchise, no other team in the league has had as many stars. From Wilt to Magic to Kobe, the Lakers never go long without a franchise face and O’Neal was that guy for them during one of their greatest stretches. Ultimately, while Shaq would leave the Lakers after eight seasons, he left a lasting legacy there for his explosive play, unstoppable game, and box-office personality.
According to O’Neal himself, he ranks as the fourth greatest Laker ever, behind Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Shaq’s playing days have long expired already but it’s clear that Lakers Nation still holds him in very high regard for what he accomplished with the franchise. Just based on his time there alone, he’s got to rank in the top three greatest centers ever and he will not stand for anything less.
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