Kevin Nash is a wrestling legend, dominating the then-WWF from the mid-to-late 1990s under the ring name Diesel. The 65-year-old notably won the WWF Championship in 1994 and later retained it in a high-profile match at Royal Rumble 1995. In his post-wrestling career, Nash has also contributed to the growth of WWE. It’s clear He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.
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Before his storied wrestling career, Nash used to play another sport. Towering 6-foot-10, he also had a chance to pursue basketball in his younger days. Nash spent three years with the University of Tennessee, serving as the team’s center from 1977-80.
He was a solid contributor for the Volunteers, averaging 5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds over his career. Nash even had the opportunity to play in March Madness in both 1978-79 and 1979-80, even making it to the Sweet 16 once.
Nash didn’t have the talent to compete in the NBA but continued to pursue his basketball career elsewhere. Unfortunately, his career came to an end just one year later in 1981 in Germany when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. He then spent time in the military, working on an assembly line and then as a floor manager at a strip club before turning his focus to wrestling.
So, while Nash didn’t aim to become an NBA player, the legendary wrestler still knows ball. During an episode of his podcast, Kliq This, Nash was asked who he believed was the most dominant big man of all time. He discussed several Hall of Fame big men, pointing out the edge each of them has over the other.
Nash first named Kareem Abdul Jabbar because of his unmatched winning at every level. “[Kareem] won two state championships. I know he won a city championship at Palmer Memorial. He won three at UCLA because freshman couldn’t play,” Nash recalled before praising Kareem’s illustrious NBA career.
Abdul-Jabbar may have been Nash’s pick as the best center ever, but he claimed no one could match the physicality of prime Shaquille O’Neal. “When it comes down to it, nobody was more physically dominant than Shaq,” Nash said. “[Wilt] Chamberlain wasn’t 315 pounds… [Shaq] was just ridiculous.”
O’Neal was 7-foot-1, often weighing north of 320 pounds. While Wilt was just as tall, he came in at around 275 pounds. Shaq knew how to use his size to get his way on the NBA floor, and there was arguably no one better at doing it.
Nash then recalled when he saw the four-time champion and was taken aback. “When you meet Shaq and you see him in person, he’s f**king gigantic,” the wrestling icon continued. Nash pointed out that not even The Big Show’s size stands out compared to the Lakers legend.
The tail end of Shaq’s career overshadows his best years at times, prompting some to put centers who had a more complete career ahead of him in all-time rankings. However, even if he isn’t viewed as the best big man of all time to many, very few would argue against Shaq’s dominance during his best days.
