One of the most prominent changes the NBA has seen in recent years is the shift in positions. In the 1990s and 2000s, the center position was arguably the most important. Many of the most dominant centers played in those areas, but none could surpass the talent of Shaquille O’Neal. The 7-foot-1 big man’s play was a rude awakening for many young players.
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Ahead of the 2001-02 season, Brendan Haywood was over the moon. The former North Carolina big man achieved his dream of making it to the NBA. It wouldn’t take long for him to receive his “Welcome to the NBA” moment from none other than O’Neal.
Haywood originally spoke about his first encounter with Shaq on the Run Your Race podcast in 2024. The clip recently resurfaced on Reddit, sparking a great deal of discourse.
The 7-foot center’s first experience against O’Neal came in a regular-season matchup between the Washington Wizards and Los Angeles Lakers. Haywood spent days preparing for it, but he couldn’t imagine just how grueling it would really be.
“He’s bigger than you, he’s stronger than you, and he’s faster than you,” Haywood revealed. “It’s like, ‘Wow, he is everything I saw on TV.'”
As a competitor, Haywood welcomed any sort of challenge. But at the same time, he was realistic in his mindset. O’Neal’s wasn’t the team’s only star during his Lakers tenure. Shaq had Kobe Bryant as a running mate, and they would sometimes take turns when it came to big offensive performances. Haywood prayed that O’Neal didn’t have one against him.
“I really hope Kobe goes for 40 tonight because I don’t want [Shaq] getting the ball at all,” Haywood proclaimed.
Nowadays, a lot of players speak similarly about defending Kyrie Irving. Although Irving may embarrass a defender with his eccentric ball-handling ability, O’Neal’s form of dominance could cause physical pain.
“He would just go through your chest. He hit me in my sternum one time. Bruised my sternum. I couldn’t laugh for a week,” Haywood said.
Haywood surely isn’t the only player with such an experience against O’Neal. The four-time NBA champion’s physical prowess demanded that teams have at least three big men on their roster. It was a given that O’Neal would force the opposing team’s big men into foul trouble.
Some players are once in a generation, but O’Neal may have been once in a lifetime.
