Almost every Shaquille O’Neal highlight features the Hall of Famer overpowering a hapless center, leaving them with no choice but to duck for cover, get out of his way, or take a physical beating. His menacing playstyle earned him the reputation of being the strongest player in NBA history. However, according to his testament, there were a few others as strong, if not stronger than him.
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In an interview with Muscle & Fitness magazine, the four-time NBA champion was asked if he was the strongest player in basketball history. O’Neal claimed that’s the consensus among players. However, he detailed his experience with Bulls icon Artis Gilmore and suggested that he may have had more raw strength than him. He said,
“I’ve heard it’s between me and Wilt Chamberlain [for the strongest ever]. But you know what’s crazy? I shake a lot of the old guys’ hands, and they try to break my hand. The guy with the strongest handshake is Artis Gilmore. Bill Russell has a strong handshake, too. And so did Wilt.”
The 7-foot-2 center weighed around 240 pounds during his playing days and was retired for four years before O’Neal entered the league. However, he still had enough strength to nearly crush the Lakers icon’s hand. It explains why the three-time Finals MVP was in awe of Artis’ raw power.
O’Neal has always spoken highly of his predecessors and credited them for paving the way for him. However, there’s one Hall of Famer center that he doesn’t rate.
Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t rank Bill Walton on his all-time list
Bill Walton won every major individual accolade during his Hall of Fame career. The two-time All-Star won the league MVP, Finals MVP, and two championships. Despite his accomplishments, O’Neal doesn’t believe he deserves to be called an all-time great.
On an episode of the Big Podcast with Shaq, he questioned Walton’s inclusion in the 75th Anniversary Team and his Hall of Fame induction. He said, “Yeah, ’cause why he only got 6000 points in the NBA.” The center suffered from chronic foot injuries that severely affected his playing time during his career.
Unsurprisingly, O’Neal’s issues with Walton had little to do with his resume but rather his personal problems with the Trail Blazers icon. After retiring from the NBA, the latter became a commentator and an analyst and would often criticize the four-time NBA champion.
The Lakers legend took exception and downplayed Walton’s career at every turn. O’Neal admitted it after the two-time NBA champion passed away earlier this year. On the Big Podcast with Shaq, he sent his best wishes to his son Luke Walton, and said,
“[Bill and I] had a respectable relationship, and what he was trying to do was get me through the big man rite of passage, and I admitted that our relationship wasn’t as good because I probably was a little sensitive, like criticized a lot, boom boom boom.”
While O’Neal no longer harbors any ill will towards Walton, the two were at loggerheads for decades.
