mobile app bar

Amidst Shannon Sharpe And Grizzlies Scuffle, Shaquille O’Neal’s Potency Against Steven Adams Is Brought Up By Former NBA Champ

Samir Mehdi
Published

Amidst Shannon Sharpe And Grizzlies Scuffle, Shaquille O’Neal’s Potency Against Steven Adams Is Brought Up By Former NBA Champ

Shaquille O’Neal was quite nearly the epitome of what you would expect an ‘unstoppable’ force to be during his prime. ‘The Big Aristotle’ weighed anywhere between 320lb to 420lb during his time in the NBA but moved with a certain level of agility that made it impossible to guard him in the open floor or in the post. 

‘Hack-a-Shaq’ rose to prominence solely because it was a safer bet to foul him and send him to the free throw line than to let him devour the opposing team’s center in the paint and lead to a guaranteed bucket. 

One thing about Shaq’s dominance over the league however is the fact that he never truly had to go up against the best of the best in the paint while in his prime. Hakeem Olajuwon was the best big-man he went up against but after him, guys like Dale Davis, Dikembe Mutombo, or Todd MacCulloch simply couldn’t be compared to him.

Also read: Shaquille O’Neal aka DJ Diesel is Getting A Whole Stage on Tomorrowland!

Could Steven Adams stand his ground against Shaquille O’Neal? 

JR Smith posed an interesting question on social media. He pondered over whether or not Steven Adams could successfully hold his own over Shaquille O’Neal in the post. Of course, the internet reacted the way they would and claimed that Shaq would treat him the same way he treated centers of his time.

However, with the recent scuffle that has taken place between Shannon Sharpe and the Grizzlies, an interesting video has surfaced. The video shows a multitude of men trying to hold Steven Adams back from Sharpe and all of them failing to do so.

There have also been a bevy of players across the league who have stated that Adams’ screens are some of the hardest screens that have ever been set against them, analogizing it going up against a brick wall. 

So perhaps Adams would stand a chance against a prime Shaq. But that’s all it could ever be. A ‘chance’. 

Shannon Sharpe and the Grizzlies get into it 

Shannon Sharpe has long been an avid LeBron James supporter. The two have linked up on several occasions and Sharpe’s primary purpose on his show alongside Skip Bayless is to defend ‘The King’. So, when he yelled out at the Grizz that they couldn’t guard him, the youngsters got heated. 

It started off with Dillon Brooks chirping at the NFL Hall of Famer but soon divulged into Ja Morant, Steven Adams, and Ja’s dad (Tee) yelling at Sharpe. Security would have to get involved and would escort Shannon to the locker room.

Also read: Having Donated $15,000, Shaquille O’Neal Remodeled A Van To Help Deliver Meals To Seniors

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

instagram-icon

Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

Share this article