Looking back at the time LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal were teammates
Imagine a super team boasting a prime Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James. Two of the most dominant paint players in the history of the NBA would overwhelm their opponents day in and day out. Despite being supremely skilled, the two in their heydey years could simply overpower their opposing teams with their unreal strength to score buckets.
However, O'Neal and James didn't have the chance to play with each other in their primes. Fans never go to witness what that one-two punch could've looked like. However, they did team up at one point with the Cavaliers.
When did Shaq play with LeBron?
LeBron and Shaq were at separate points in their personal careers when they teamed up in 2009. Then 37-year-old Shaq was standing at the end of his career, while 'King James', 25, was just entering his peak in his final season with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
BUSINESS: Shaquille O'Neal Traded To Cleveland Cavs: Reports. Shaquille O'Neal Traded To Cleveland Cavs:... http://tinyurl.com/lfrjpr
James, despite being a phenomenal scorer, had remained ring less when Shaquille O'Neal donned the Cavs colors. Meanwhile, Shaq, a 4-time NBA champion, had lost much of his playing abilities and had become a shell of his successful days with the LA Lakers and Orlando Magic.
Together, the 37-year-old Shaq and 25-year-old LBJ reached the Eastern Conference semi-finals in the 2009-10 season but lost the series to the Boston Celtics in six games. Meanwhile Diesel, a two-time scoring champion, averaged only 12 points and 6.7 rebounds in the regular season, and James averaged 29.7 points, 8.6 assists and 7.3 rebounds.
In all honesty, even the old Shaquille O'Neal was a reliable supporting cast. His 2009-10 average pales only in comparison to the numbers he posted between 1992-93 and 2002-03 seasons. But as a stand-alone stat, he was as good as any younger center, even in his time with the Cavs. His mere presence demanded the attention of rival defenders. By fearlessly breaching the opponent lines, his paint authority remained supreme.
LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal are both four-time NBA champions
The Big Aristotle has won four championships in his career. His first three came with the LA Lakers. Along with Kobe, he won three consecutive rings to establish himself as one of the handful of NBA players to have recorded a three-peat. A 15-time All-Star and two-time scoring champion, he won his fourth championship with the Miami Heat team led by Dwyane Wade.
In the best scoring season of his career, 1999-00, Shaq registered 29.7 points and 13.6 rebounds. Despite being a horrible shooter from the free-throw line, he made up for his career efficiency rate of 52% from the free-throw line by averaging 23.7 points and 10.9 rebounds in 19 seasons.
LeBron James, the other player in this conversation, unlike Shaq is still active. He is still writing his legacy, still contending for championships as a star player. Responsible for leading the Lakers squad, Bron will lead the likes of Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis and Carmelo Anthony to try and win it all.
Rob Pelinka is excited about Carmelo Anthony giving the Lakers a player who isn’t afraid to shoot off of passes from LeBron James. silverscreenandroll.com/2021/9/25/2269… https://t.co/XilxfQDnXj
To LeBron James's credit, even at the age of 36, he is showing no signs of deteriorating. Agreed he is not as fast or as strong as he was in his younger years, the undisputed king of the league for close to two decades averaged 25 points, 7.8 assists and 7.7 rebounds in the 2020-21 season.
There is no way of truly ascertaining what kind of achievements prime Shaquille O'Neal and LeBron James were capable of accumulating together. A what-if that will continue to remain a relevant topic of wonder for many generations.