Sports announcer Ralph Lawler has been around for a long time and can confidently assert his authority on various NBA issues and topics. Putting that to the test, the former Los Angeles Clippers play-by-play announcer made a bold claim. He recently disagreed with Antonio Daniels’ claim that Shaquille O’Neal is the NBA’s most dominant force.
Shaquille O’Neal had a dominant career in the NBA, winning four titles. In his prime, teams couldn’t contain O’Neal and needed to double-team him in the post. Surely, O’Neal will have the recognition of one of the most dominant players the league has ever seen. Nevertheless, Lawler doesn’t see it that way and names two more dominant players.
I think both Wilt (Chamberlain) and (George) Mikan were more dominant than SHAQ and I saw all three of them play – Live.
Ralph Lawler wrote on X
Mikan, regarded by fans and analysts as the NBA’s first superstar, is famous for his five NBA/BAA titles and three consecutive scoring titles with the Minneapolis Lakers. He also boasts impressive career averages of 23.1 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
It would be unfair to dismiss Antonio Daniels’ point entirely. Nevertheless, Ralph Lawler did not say that Shaq wasn’t dominant. He only believed there were two other more dominant than the four-time champion. Lawler, who has witnessed the evolution of the game, unlike Daniels, believes that Mikan’s pioneering achievements and unparalleled dominance during his era have earned him the top spot.
The legendary announcer’s other choice, Wilt Chamberlain, has quite the reputation. It is evidenced by his remarkable statistics of 30.1 points, 22.9 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. Although the league’s new breed of players have tried, none have yet matched his record 100-point game.
Shaquille O’Neal found new purpose in DJing after struggling with early retirement
Retirement never gets easy for some players. They struggle to adjust to the time away from the sport. NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal recalled his struggle to find direction after retiring from the NBA in 2011. His basketball career, which spanned 19 seasons, ended earlier than expected due to persistent injuries.
In an interview with People magazine, Shaq revealed what kept him going during that period: DJing. He said he started DJing in the 1980s at LSU and revived his passion after attending a concert. Now touring as the popular “DJ Diesel,” O’Neal has undoubtedly achieved incredible success in the venture.
I’ve been playing since I was 14 years old and always had that step into the arena feeling of the game. I always had that hour and a half or so. And when I stopped playing, I didn’t have that. I went to this concert… got the same feeling again… was like, ‘You know what? I used to do this. Lemme see if I can pick it up again.’
Shaquille O’Neal via People magazine
Aside from DJing, O’Neal has also carved out a niche as a basketball analyst on the popular TV show Inside the NBA. However, his future as an analyst remains uncertain due to the show’s parent company, TNT, losing its NBA broadcasting rights. Nevertheless, Shaq will not be away from television for long as there is talk of a possible rebranding.
