“I May Be Biased”: Shaquille O’Neal Once Claimed LeBron James Deserved MVP Over Derrick Rose

Shaquille O’Neal wasn’t too impressed by Derrick Rose winning the MVP, believed LeBron James deserved it more that season.

Shaquille O’Neal is, without a doubt, a force of nature. There was a time when he dominated the league so hard, defenders feared even his name.

But that time was almost two decades ago. He won his one and only regular season MVP in 2000. Though Shaq won another championship with Heat in 2006, by then he was only a shadow of his former self.

Since his retirement, Shaq has taken the onus of entertaining NBA fans with his ‘hot takes.’ With his stardom and epic career behind him, usually, his takes are well received. However, Shaq in his book made a rather surprising statement about Derrick Rose winning the MVP.

Also read: “It was difficult rejecting the Celtics and Lakers”: Coach K turned down the opportunity to create generational wealth, TWICE!

Shaquille O’Neal claimed Derrick Rose didn’t deserve the 2011 award

In Shaq Uncut, Diesel brutally questioned Derrick Rose winning an MVP. He argued that Rose did nothing unique. His style of play and his impact, though brilliant, weren’t worthy of deserving the Most Valuable Player award. He hinted that LeBron James deserved the accolade.

Shaq: “I may be biased, but I’ve seen Mike, Dominique, Magic, Bird, David Robinson, Ewing. They brought something unique. Derrick Rose? Great player, but lay something on me I’m not expecting.”

Did LeBron truly deserve the award over Rose?

In 2010-11, Derrick Rose became a global phenomenon. His performance that season made him one of the best players in Chicago Bulls’ history.

He led the Joakim Noah less team (Noah played only 48 games) to 62 regular season wins. Bulls had the best record in not just the Eastern Conference but the entire league. For him to do that with kind of squads around was truly unbelievable.

On the other hand, LeBron James was on a roll too. It was his first season with the newly built Miami Heat squad. He and Dwyane Wade carried the team to the NBA Finals.

Even in the regular season, LeBron had more games with at least 30 points than Rose. He wasn’t too far behind in assists made and even had more rebounds.

However, stats aren’t the determining aspect of an MVP. The decision is based on multiple criteria. Maybe Shaq is right, after all, he is a generational talent. But one thing cannot be denied, Derrick Rose was a beast in his MVP season.

Also read: Danny Granger, Who is Among Ex-NBA Players Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, Is Worth Over $20 Million!