Say what you may about Shaquille O’Neal or the tough love he showed his teammates in the past, but the 7ft 1″ legend doesn’t shy away from giving credit where it’s due. In one of his most recent Instagram stories, the 4-time NBA Champion supported what many would consider a hot take. Shaq shared a post that claimed while LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal might have been two of the greatest ever, Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler are still the greatest players in Miami Heat history.
Advertisement
This is certainly a take that won’t go down easy with many. After all, both Shaq and LeBron led the Heat to championships. But according to Shaq’s latest story on Instagram, he doesn’t think that is enough to be considered the greatest Miami players.
Shaquille O’Neal claims Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler are the greatest Miami Heat players
After leaving the Lakers, Shaq moved to Miami to play for the Heat. The big man had had enough of the feud with Bryant and wanted to do things differently in Miami.
With Dwyane Wade becoming the face of the franchise, Shaq knew he only had to be the support system for the team that belonged to Dwyane Wade. Either way, the two ended up winning a championship.
Shaq giving Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler their flowers pic.twitter.com/NoHd8F0DJ0
— What are NBA Celebs Upto? (@NBACelebsUpdate) May 5, 2023
When LeBron James joined the Heat, he was easily one of the best players in the league. So, his dynamic alongside Wade was different but the two managed to still win two championships together.
On the other hand, Jimmy Butler has never won a championship. But despite the lack of championships, Butler has time and again performed exceptionally for the Heat. He has led them to a Finals, a Conference Finals, and now beat the Seed 1 Bucks to win the first round.
However, Shaq still thinks that both Jimmy and Wade are the greatest players to ever play the game. Now, while that may be a little difficult to swallow, coming from a legend who has won a championship for Miami, it’s hard to contest his claims.
Shaq snubbing James is justified
In claiming that Wade and Butler are better, O’Neal wasn’t undermining LeBron or his talent. Instead, he is just honoring the long-time Butler and Wade. LeBron James may have won two championships but he didn’t spend as much time with the Heat or sacrifice as much for the team as Butler and Wade did.
