Despite being 40, LeBron James is still playing at an elite level. In the 2024–25 season, he averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game, numbers that are rare for any player, let alone someone in their 22nd season. He continues to be a key contributor for the Los Angeles Lakers, but his former teammate and NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t consider him a top-five player right now.
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As he often does, Shaq shared a bold opinion on who he believes are currently the five best players in the league. His list included Steph Curry, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. It’s a tough list to argue with, and most of the names are justifiable. But no LeBron, especially when Curry and Williams made the cut in 2025? That’s baffling.
Putting Williams ahead of LeBron in particular came as a surprise. And when Shaq revealed this take on Off The Record, he knew there’d be backlash. So, the big fella offered his reasoning.
He said, “I already know what people are gonna do with that list. They’re going to say, ‘Oh, you dissed LeBron.’ No, this is about my opinion. Everybody knows I love LeBron.”
It’s worth noting that Shaq has never shied away from bold takes. He’s known for being brutally honest and highly opinionated, and his love for the old-school mentality often influences how he evaluates today’s players. While this list is sure to spark debate, it wasn’t meant as a diss toward LeBron. Shaq made it clear that he has a lot of respect for him and has praised him on numerous occasions in the past.
Shaq’s comments reflect a broader reality: LeBron is still great, but there’s real debate about whether he remains one of the five best players in the NBA. With younger stars like Luka Doncic, Anthony Edwards, and Jayson Tatum rising fast, and none of them making Shaq’s list, LeBron’s place in the hierarchy is no longer a given.
The omission may feel jarring but it’s not entirely unfounded. As for Williams, Shaq has been vocal about his admiration for the Thunder forward. Even though placing him in the current top five won’t sit well with many fans, at the end of the day, it’s Shaq’s opinion, and he’s entitled to it. He also understands how social media can twist words, so he made sure to present his list as an opinion, not a sign of disrespect.
