Photo: Shaquille O'Neal opens room for debate with post on IG featuring Michael Jordan, LeBron James & other NBA legends teaming up against each other
Shaquille O'Neal, one of the greatest basketball players of all time, took to Instagram to let people know he wants the smoke. In a photo that featured O'Neal, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson, he said "they can get it too," as Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo lined up on the other side.
Showing these 10 players makes it tough to say who would win, considering the 10 of them are among the top 50 players in NBA history, according to most.
Shaquille O'Neal might have something here, as his five-member team is incredible. However, there's a twist to each side.
Curry is widely regarded as the best point guard in NBA history. James is either the best or second best, according to most. Joel Embiid might not be at the same level as the rest of the players in the picture, but there is no debate that he's a star.
Durant is one of the best scorers the game has ever seen, and people believe he might be a top five or 10 player of all time. And Antetokounmpo is a star in his own right and has a chance to finish as a top 10 player.
On the other side is Magic, who many believe might be the best point guard ever. Bryant doesn't need an explanation. He's one of the best scorers, if not the best, the game has ever seen. Jordan is regarded as the greatest player in history, according to most.
Larry Bird, while typically looked at as a top 10 player, might be a tad underrated. His career was incredible when breaking down his accolades. O'Neal is regarded as the most dominant player in NBA history.
It's tough to say who would win this game. If it was a seven-game series, there's a good chance that it would see go all seven games.
Comparing the players is also tough because of the eras they all played in. The game was played in a different way in the 1980s and 1990s compared to what is seen now.
Shaquille O'Neal's team
Shaquille O'Neal has a great point as he can carry his team to a win.
O'Neal won four titles and was an NBA Finals MVP three times and MVP once. Bird won three championships and was a three-time MVP and two-time NBA Finals MVP. Jordan was a six-time champion, six-time Finals MVP and five-time MVP. Johnson won five titles and was a Finals MVP and league MVP three times each. Bryant won five crowns, was a Finals MVP twice and a league MVP once.
O'Neal's team would also be stout on defense. O'Neal (three-time All-Defensive team), Jordan (1987-88 Defensive Player of the Year, three-time steals champ, nine-time All-Defensive team) and Bryant (12-time All-Defensive) would headline that end of the floor. But Bird (three-time All-Defensive team) and Johnson (two-time steals champ) would be big contributors as well.