Just like the never-ending GOAT debate, NBA fans and players love listing out the Mount Rushmores of each position. From point guards to centers, everyone has their picks, and no two lists are ever the same. Recently, it was Zach Randolph’s turn on The Big Podcast with Shaquille O’Neal.
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Shaq asked him to name his Mount Rushmore of power forwards, but with one unexpected twist. He told Randolph that he can’t include Charles Barkley, who many would argue is one of the greatest power forwards ever, on his Mt. Rushmore.
Of course, it wasn’t a serious slight. Shaq and Chuck roast each other all the time. This was just another playful dig from one close friend to another. Randolph, trying not to laugh, played along and got right to it. He kicked off his list with the usual suspects, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan.
He said, “For sure, Kevin Garnett. Got to put the Big Ticket on there. Got to put Tim Duncan on there.” Two all-time greats, no debate there. Then came Dirk Nowitzki, which prompted Shaq to jump in again, this time arguing that Dirk was more of a small forward. He said, “Dirk ain’t no power forward. We’re not doing this. He’s a small [forward]. We’re not doing that.”
Randolph and Adam Lefkoe argued with Shaq, trying to make a case for Nowitzki as a power forward, but the big fella didn’t budge. Shaq said that he’d consider Anthony Davis a power forward before he puts Nowitzki in that category. After the discussion, he allowed Randolph to curate his Mt. Rushmore and gave Nowitzki a pass.s
But the real struggle came with the fourth spot. Randolph couldn’t figure out which player deserves the fourth and final place. Even with names like Karl Malone, Kevin Love, Bob Pettit, and Dennis Rodman thrown at him, he couldn’t make up his mind for the fourth spot. Chris Bosh was also brought into the conversation, and Randolph acknowledged that he has a strong case for it.
“Honestly, for me, I got to put probably Chris Bosh. I gotta go with CB, man,” Randolph said after thinking about it for a while. And while Barkley may not have made this Mount Rushmore, something tells us he’ll survive the snub. Especially when the guy leaving him off was forced to.
