There might be an obvious bet for a matchup between a 7’1 center and a 5’3 point guard. However, Muggsy Bogues defied all logic with his athleticism while going against Shaquille O’Neal. Despite not being one to hand out easy compliments, Shaq has been on record saying that he used to be scared of Bogues.
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During a recent conversation with Ben Carlos, Bogues was shown a clip of Shaq admitting his fear of the NBA’s shortest-ever player. The 60-year-old was pleasantly surprised by the appreciation coming from the big fella.
In the clip, Shaq can be heard saying, “I never said this before, but Muggsy Bogues scared me. Soon as I put the ball on the ground, he’s right there. One, I got to battle with Alonzo Mourning, now I got to worry about this little fast Superman-looking guy, coming to steal the ball.”
What most would consider a weakness for an NBA athlete was Bogues’ biggest strength. His short stature allowed him to steal the ball more easily as players looked to dribble past defenders. His speed compared to the league’s big men made him an even bigger threat.
The praise coming from Shaq meant a lot to the 60-year-old. He said that he tried to compete against the best out there and being praised by someone as dominant as Shaq means that he did it right. “I appreciate him giving me that type of praise,” Bogues added.
While Shaq appreciates greatness, he’s very stingy about appreciating someone who defeated him. So, this praise coming for Bogues shows just how impressed he must’ve been back in the day.
Shaquille O’Neal once heaped praise on Yao Ming
Shaq is widely regarded as the most dominant player and one of the greatest centers of all time. He treats the Big Men alliance with utmost respect and understands that he is on the Mt. Rushmore of Big Men. Over the years, we’ve seen Shaq being dismissive about other centers if they don’t fit into his idea of greatness.
However, Yao Ming, who doesn’t get mentioned very high up on the list of greatest centers, received high praise from him upon his retirement. Shaq said, “He was very agile. He could play inside, he could play outside, and if he didn’t have those injuries, he could’ve been up there in the top five centers to ever play the game.”
Ming played eight seasons in the NBA. He made eight All-Star appearances, was on the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and had five other All-NBA selections. If it weren’t for his injuries, he could’ve been a top-five center of all time as Shaq said. Regardless, he remains one of the most exciting players to watch and one of the most influential international players ever.
