“Not LeBron, not Steph, not Magic, MJ” – Former champion answers why Shaquille O'Neal is most dominant player ever
Fans all over the world knew Shaquille O'Neal as a force of nature on the basketball court and was unstoppable the moment he stepped foot in the paint. Former NBA player Richard Jefferson broke down the reasons why O'Neal was the most dominant player to play in the league.
On an upcoming episode of JJ Redick's "The Old Man & the Three" podcast, Jefferson was asked who was the most dominant player in the league.
"Not LeBron (James), not Steph (Curry), not Magic (Johnson), MJ (Michael Jordan)," Jefferson said. "Shaq, physically, was the most dominant player we have ever seen, maybe will ever see because of his sheer size, athleticism, skill, footwork, hands, everything.
"He changed the f*****g equipment! Backboards were getting broken. Like, when people talking about Steph changing the game, true. I think there's lots of players that changed the game, including Shaquille O'Neal."
When then asked if he agreed with the comparison often made between Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo and O'Neal, Jefferson said:
"No, not at all. Giannis is the same type of dominance when you see him, percentage-wise around the rim because there was a size and a f*****g mass to Shaq that was different. He was like (Joel) Embiid, but he moved like Giannis."
The full episode will air this week, and there could be a ton of stories from Jefferson.
RJ played for the New Jersey Nets when they took on Shaq and the Lakers in the NBA Finals in 2002. Los Angeles won the title, but the Nets got another crack at it the following year.
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How did Shaquille O'Neal perform during their series against Richard Jefferson and the Nets?
When Shaquille O'Neal was with the Lakers, they were the best team in the league. In 2002, Los Angeles met the Nets in the NBA Finals, sweeping them as the Lakers controlled the entire series. True to what Jefferson said, no one could stop O'Neal as he dominated the entire series.
O'Neal finished as the Finals MVP after averaging 36.3 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. Shaq capped off the impressive three-peat, which was also the final title he won with the Lakers.
Also read: Shaquille O'Neal once paid for a shy fan who was struggling to buy an engagement ring - "This is something I do every day"