"Might go Game 7": Shaquille O'Neal's verdict on all-time game between players with yellow and red jerseys, including Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan
Shaquille O'Neal has continued to use Instagram as a platform for debate. In recent weeks, the Hall of Famer has posted photos that spark discourse, from 'Choose an all-time starting five' to 'Who wins in a five-on-five?'
The posts are meant to both create engagement for O'Neal's social media accounts and spark debate among fans. In the latest post, O'Neal pitted five players from teams with red jerseys against five players who played on teams with yellow jerseys. Before jumping to his reaction, let's take a look at the two teams.
Red team
- PG - Derrick Rose
- SG - Michael Jordan
- SF - Julius Erving
- PF - Charles Barkley
- C - Hakeem Olajuwon
Yellow team
- PG - Steph Curry
- SG - Kobe Bryant
- SF - LeBron James
- PF - Karl Malone
- C - Shaquille O'Neal
In the caption for the post, the famed big man seemed to be torn on who he thought would win in a seven-game series, writing:
"This is good one, I honestly don’t know. What y’all think. This actually might go 7"
Needless to say, it sounds as though fans have remained split on which team wins, with some pointing out that Karl Malone's years in LA were rather underwhelming.
At the same time, others have pointed out that Michael Jordan's edge over Kobe Bryant could be a big contributing factor in the hypothetical game.
Shaquille O'Neal's recent shoutout during Dwyane Wades' Hall of Fame speech
With the NBA currently in the offseason, Shaquille O'Neal is free from his "Inside the NBA" obligations. As a result, he has continued to enjoy his summer, working on new music while performing at a number of events and festivals as DJ Diesel.
In addition to a new song that he's been working on for the past year, O'Neal has continued to enjoy himself on stage. Recently, however, he was given a shout-out by none other than former Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade prior to his Hall of Fame enshrinement speech.
While speaking in his Hall of Fame sit-down interview about how Shaquille O'Neal impacted his career, Dwyane Wade explained:
“When Shaq got to Miami, immediately we talked about the relationships with Penny, the relationships with Kobe, and what was not gonna happen with us. Also, he was at a different place in his career and so he was pumping a lot of juice in me.
“Shaq told me I was gonna be one of the greatest two guards that ever played. Shaq told me I was gonna be sitting here as a Hall of Famer one day and I looked at him like ‘Okay, if you say it then I'mma do it'."
While O'Neal's time on the court has come and gone, it's clear that his impact still remains.