When they first met on the court, Shaquille O’Neal confessed he was terrified of competing against NBA Legend Michael Jordan.
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Even now, Shaquille O’Neal is praised for his ability to play defense and play well. He joined the Los Angeles Lakers after 4 years with Magic. Shaq won the Finals MVP award three times while playing for the Lakers, helping them to three NBA titles. He left the Lakers and joined the Miami Heat, where he won his fourth NBA championship.
Shaq currently works as an analyst for TNT’s Inside The NBA. A few years before Shaq retired, Michael Jordan announced his own retirement in 2003.
Shaq joined the league during Jordan’s era of dominance, and like everyone else, he was forced to watch in the background as his Airness claimed the majority of the championships. Jordan was the face of the league, and his brand value was skyrocketing.
Shaquille O’Neal, like any rookie entering the league, was awestruck by Jordan’s presence and personality when he first saw him.
Shaquille O’Neal used to think Michael Jordan was a God
NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recently acknowledged feeling intimidated by Michael Jordan during an interview on TNT’s Inside the NBA.
O’Neal joined the NBA when Michael Jordan was at the top of the sport. O’Neal exclaimed, in awe, during their first meeting that Jordan was the best ever. However, as the game progressed, Shaq began to feel more at ease and was able to keep his composure when interacting with MJ.
Later, he included the names of Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and Charles Barkley in that group of players. Shaq claimed that when he first faced Michael Jordan in a game, he was terrified the entire time because he realized that everything he had seen about him on television was true.
According to Fox Sports Australia, Shaq spoke about a range of subjects, including his first matchup with the star player for the Chicago Bulls. At first, he was afraid to face Jordan, but a few plays later, he nearly blocked his shot.
O’Neal remarked, “He came down and did a move so beautifully. “Oh my God, it was like that. The best ever is this person. I was actually just inches away from blocking his shot the second time he came down and executed the move. I then thought, “Oh, you’re human? I mistook you for God, but you’re only human.”
Throughout their careers, they clashed 21 times, 10 times in the postseason and 11 times during the regular season. Jordan has a 12-9 winning record, including a 6-4 postseason record. Shaq still draws attention to the fact that he led the last team to defeat Jordan and the Bulls in the playoffs.
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