‘Anthony Davis is not a big man’: Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal explains why AD is a power forward, not a center

Shaquille O’Neal dismisses talk of Anthony Davis being a great big man on the basis that he is a power forward, not a center.

AD’s arrival in Los Angeles revitalized a Lakers team that had failed to make the playoffs for 6 seasons. It cost Rob Pelinka a King’s ransom, having to trade away his 3 best young players and an assortment of picks.

But given how the 2019-20 season turned out, trading for Davis is one of the best investments the Lakers have ever made. Davis is the most complementary player LeBron has ever had in his career. He is just as unstoppable on offense as The King, and his defensive impact made the Lakers one of the stingiest defenses in the NBA.

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Davis was the top scorer of the playoffs this year with 582 points in 21 games. His impact against the Rockets, Blazers and the Nuggets was a huge difference-maker. Without his assistance, LeBron James might well have been eliminated before the Finals.

Shaquille O’Neal refuses to acknowledge that Anthony Davis is a big man

Anthony Davis played the role of center in the Lakers’ closing lineups throughout the regular season. He also took over as the default center in the playoffs against the Rockets and the Heat. His ability to serve as a ‘small-ball’ big man helped the Lakers’ versatility immensely.

Shaquille O’Neal, however, is having none of the big man talk about AD. In his view, a “big man” and “power forward” are two different things because, well, they play different roles and styles:

“I hate when you all put power forwards and big men in the same category. You should talk to Tim Duncan. Because power forwards and big men are two different categories. Period.”

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Guys like Shaq, Hakeem, and Mutombo used their size and physicality to dominate in the post and around the rim. Guys like Duncan, Pau Gasol, and Dirk Nowitzki seem to fit other characteristics.