While there have been many great players in the NBA, only a handful can compete for the tag of being the most dominant. Los Angeles Lakers icon Wilt Chamberlain is usually the first name that comes to mind. However, many, including Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett believe Shaquille O’Neal is the player most deserving of the title.
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In his prime, the four-time NBA champion was borderline unstoppable. He did what pleased him in the paint, even when guarded by two, three, or even four players. O’Neal’s highlight reels usually showcase the three-time Finals MVP viciously dunking the ball, swatting away shots, and snatching uncontested rebounds, as trying to box him out or outmuscling him was an exercise in futility.
One such highlight reel seemingly came across Garnett’s timeline on Instagram, and he shared it on his stories with the caption,
“My opinion—Shhhhiii yall trippin if you saying other wise MOST DOMINANT EVA.. 1 @shaq Respect lord.”
KG praises Shaq pic.twitter.com/oX4T72zitc
— tragicpatek (@tragicpatek) July 6, 2024
O’Neal numbers during the Lakers’ three-peat between 2000 and 2002 justify Garnett’s claim. In those three years, the center averaged a stunning 28.6 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the regular season. He elevated his game in the playoffs, averaging 29.9 points, 14.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists. He won the MVP award once and the Finals MVP thrice during this period of sheer dominance.
O’Neal’s unstoppable prowess in the paint prompted teams to resort to ‘Hack-A-Shaq,’ a tactic where they would intentionally foul the center and send him to the free-throw line to avoid having to guard him. As nightmarish as it was to play against the Hall of Famer, Garnett learned firsthand that having him as a teammate was just as fun.
Kevin Garnett describes Shaquille O’Neal as a teammate
In the twilight of his career, Shaquille O’Neal joined the Boston Celtics and teamed up with Kevin Garnett. While he no longer was the unstoppable force that struck fear in the opponents’ hearts, the forward enjoyed having him as a teammate.
Garnett reminisced that O’Neal was hilarious in the locker room and his friendly skirmishes with Nate Robinson often left the team chuckling. On The Ticket and the Truth podcast, the Hall of Famer recalled,
“[Shaq and Nate] were always pulling jokes on each other. [Nate] was always trying to dunk on Shaq, he was always trying to wear Shaq’s shoes and Lord, they was hilarious.”
Having witnessed the four-time NBA champion toying with defenders, watching his fun side is a core memory for Garnett.
