After conceding his rank as 4th greatest Laker, Shaquille O'Neal unfazed by being dubbed 4th best Heat player
Shaquille O'Neal had no problems being ranked fourth in the all-time greatest Laker list a few days ago.
O'Neal conceded that he's behind Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the title of G.O.A.T. Lakers player. The Hall of Fame big man was also unfazed when he was No. 4 again, this time in the Miami Heat all-time players list.
In a post on Instagram, Shaq shared a graphic showing the greatest players in Heat history. Dwyane Wade is rightfully ranked first, followed by LeBron James and Alonzo Mourning. "Diesel" was fourth despite being in South Beach for just three and a half seasons.
"Thanks. I'll take it. Appreciate it," Shaq wrote.
It's no secret that the greatest player in Miami Heat history is Dwyane Wade. He holds multiple franchise records and won three NBA championships. He should have never left the Heat in 2016, and seeing him wear a different uniform did not feel right.
LeBron James, meanwhile, had an unparalleled impact in his four-year stint in Miami. He won two MVP awards, two rings and two NBA Finals MVP with the Heat.
Alonzo Mourning was the heart and soul of the Heat for many years. Just like Wade, Mourning had two stings in Miami — from 1995 to 2003 and from 2005 to 2008.
As for Shaquille O'Neal, he brought a winning culture in 2004 to the Heat. He promised a championship and delivered two years later with the franchise's first title. He might have had a short tenure in Miami, but there's no doubt about his place on the team's all-time greatest list.
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Shaquille O'Neal fine with being the 4th-best Laker ever
As mentioned above, Shaquille O'Neal had no problem with being called the fourth-greatest player in LA Lakers history. Shaq was behind the late great Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. For die-hard Lakers fans, Kobe and Magic could be No. 1.
Both won five NBA championships with the Lakers and embodied what it was like to be a Laker. Abdul-Jabbar also won five titles with the Lakers, but he was not a lifer. He played for the Milwaukee Bucks from 1969 to 1975 before he moved to the Lakers.
"Thanks. I'll take it," Shaq wrote.
Shaq won an MVP, three championships and three NBA Finals MVP trophies in his eight-year stint with the Lakers. It can be argued that O'Neal could be in the top three greatest players in Orlando Magic history as well.
"Diesel" also played for the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics toward the end of his career. However, it's safe to say that he won't be included in those teams' top 10 greatest players list.
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