“Nothing says dominant quite like the league changing rules just to give the opposition a chance” - Jason Jones on Shaquille O’Neal dominance during his playing days
LA Lakers legend Shaquille O'Neal was one of the most dominant centers to ever step on an NBA floor. Throughout his illustrious career, the legendary big man was a marvel to fans. No one had seen a player of O'Neal's size move around the court with such ease. At 7-foo-1, 325 pounds, O'Neal was a terrifying assignment for the opposition every single night.
O'Neal didn't just beat opponents with his rare combination of size and power, he was also an incredible athlete. The Hall of Fame center had the ability to use his quickness and mobility to give defenders nightmares.
In an article by Jason Jones of The Athletic, Jones went into depth about how much of a force O'Neal was in his prime. Jones even reminded fans that the league made a rule change just to try to slow down Shaq's dominance.
The NBA had always outlawed zone defenses. But during his career, the league adjusted its rules to allow for zones.
"Nothing says dominant quite like the league changing rules just to give the opposition a chance," Jones wrote of O'Neal.
Continuing the countdown of the Top 75 players in NBA history, as voted on at @TheAthletic, w/Number 8:
Shaq.
Our @mr_jasonjones on the Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal: a force unto himself, who won rings & dominated the paint for a generation: theathletic.com/3117428/2022/0…
Shaquille O'Neal one of the most dominant centers ever
Although Shaquille O'Neal played for six teams in his career, his most dominant years will always be with the Orlando Magic and LA Lakers.
What was so fascinating about those tenures for Shaq was the fact that he was dominant in such different ways. After being selected first overall by the Magic, O'Neal quickly became the talk of the NBA with his freakish athleticism. The young big man was much skinnier in the early part of his career and was often a threat to take a defensive rebound and go coast to coast for a transition slam.
During his four years with the Magic, O'Neal averaged 27.2 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 58.1%.
Shaq destroying everything in sight in the 2001 Finals. Pure dominance right here. Looks like a video game. https://t.co/WnySDbQRUN
O'Neal will be best known for his tenure with the Lakers, teaming up with legend Kobe Bryant. The two combined to make one of the most lethal duos in NBA history. With the Lakers, Shaq won three championships and asserted himself as one of the most terrifying centers the NBA has ever seen.
On the Lakers, O'Neal averaged 27.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game while shooting 57.5%.
O'Neal also won an NBA title with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.