Days After Backing Stephen Curry’s Top PG Comment, Shaquille O’Neal Names Magic Johnson As His All-Time Starting Point Guard

Recently, LA Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal appeared on the NBA Rewind alongside journalist Ahmad Rashad. Shaq was asked a range of questions about his list of the best players of all time and had some interesting responses. Initially, he was asked to name his 5 best players of all time. However, when Shaq answered by position, he ended up choosing Magic Johnson as his starting point guard over Golden State Warriors legend Stephen Curry. 

The revelation comes just days after Shaq had endorsed Curry’s claim to be the greatest point guard of all time, on Instagram. Shaq had re-shared a story about Curry’s recent comments about being a better point guard than Johnson. Despite Shaq not naming Magic in his list of the 5 best players of all time, he still chose the fellow Lakers legend as the starting point guard in his best-ever team.

Shaquille O’Neal chooses Magic Johnson over Stephen Curry for his best-ever team

Shaq was initially asked about his 5 best players of all time. He started off with Philadelphia 76ers’ legend Julius Erving, before naming some familiar players. This includes Michael Jordan Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

Rashid responded with surprise and wanted to know where he ranked himself. Shaq humbly claimed that he was merely a top-10, or a top-20 player:

“A lot of people do not put him over the others, but Dr. J, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul Jabbar. No I am definitely top-20, top-10. My top has always been in the guard area. If you want me to do it by position, top point guard would be Magic, 2 Guard would be Mike, 3 Guard would be Kobe, LeBron at the 4, and then at the Center, it will probably be Bill Russell. Keep in mind these are very objective I don’t want people to think I am offending them but, those are my top-5.”

Moving on, Shaq had a bigger surprise while naming his best team of all time. Despite only recently having acknowledged Curry as the greatest point guard, he ended up choosing Magic Johnson to start over the Warriors’ ace.

Erving, who played as a small forward in the NBA and the ABA, was also overlooked. Instead, Shaq chose Bill Russell for the starting Center position.

O’Neal recently Stephen Curry is his favorite player

The above list does not mean that Shaq does not hold Curry highly. He has acknowledged him as the best shooter of all time in the past and also shared his comment about being the greatest PG.

What’s more, Shaq also understands the way Curry has brought forth a change in the dynamics of the NBA. Shaq recently posted a list claiming Curry was the second most influential player of all time. 

Shaq on the most influential players of all time pic.twitter.com/xK5V47FAgx

— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) September 9, 2023

Naming him over the likes of LeBron and his former teammate Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson featured on number 5. The list obviously had Shaq’s GOAT Michael Jordan as the most influential player in the league’s history, something that most people cannot argue against.