When Phil Jackson gave his take on critics picking Shaquille O'Neal over Michael Jordan
The Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan and LA Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal were two of the most dominant players in their eras. Their legendary coach was once forced to weigh in on the debate between the two as he was the coach behind their success.
Phil Jackson credited both stars as phenomenal talents but highlighted a key difference between them. He agreed with host Bob Costas that Shaq's dominance gave him an edge over His Airness, but MJ's ability to bring the ball up the floor and create chances for himself and his teammates gave him the advantage over O'Neal.
"The reality is that Shaq is so dominant you always have an overmatch," Jackson said, while he still coached the Lakers. "You can always draw a double-team. You can almost always get a shot for somebody.
"The drawback about that is he has to have the ball put in his hands. Whereas Michael can get it and take it 90 feet and develop something from within that."
While most fans would argue in favor of Michael Jordan, they both achieved immense success under the guidance of Phil Jackson. He utilized their unique talents to his advantage, which played a significant role in the 11 championship titles to his name.
The Bulls, with Phil Jackson as coach and led by MJ, dominated the league in the '90s, winning six titles. Jackson then moved to the Lakers, who featured Shaq and Kobe Bryant and led them to three titles in a row.
Phil Jackson on how Michael Jordan's Bulls would fare against Shaquille O'Neal's Lakers
In that same interview, Phil Jackson was asked to give his prediction on his Chicago Bulls team led by Michael Jordan and that of the LA Lakers with Shaquille O'Neal. He predicted that the Bulls would face significant challenges due to Shaq's dominance but then noted that they previously beat a team once led by O'Neal (the Orlando Magic).
"Very difficult for that team. We did beat Orlando with Shaq. Swept them," Jackson said, referring to the 1996 Eastern Conference finals win over the Orlando Magic.
While it is all hypothetical, fans can only imagine what could have been if the two dominant eras led by the legendary coach had clashed.