The NBA’s GOAT debate has reignited once again as Shaquille O’Neal stirred the basketball world by excluding LeBron James from his all-time starting five while including rival Michael Jordan. Big Shaq declared Chicago Bulls legend Jordan the greatest basketball player ever, placing him first in his lineup, followed by the late Kobe Bryant.
Shaquille O’Neal revealed this during an interview with Dirk Schlickmann of Sport Bild, where he named Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Julius Erving, Karl Malone, and himself in his all-time starting five. He explained that these players represented the pinnacle of basketball excellence across different eras.
However, fans quickly noticed that despite including greats like Jordan and Bryant, O’Neal notably left out LeBron James, a prominent figure in today’s GOAT conversation. O’Neal attempted to justify his decision, explaining that during his childhood, he admired Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, while Magic Johnson and Larry Bird became icons during his playing years.
Shaq says Michael Jordan is the greatest player of all time and reveals his all-time starting five:
Michael Jordan
Kobe Bryant
Julius Erving
Karl Malone
Shaquille O’Neal(Via Sport Bild) pic.twitter.com/ydKyEFbuEc
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 27, 2024
Ultimately, O’Neal believed that Michael Jordan’s dominance in both success and influence made him the undisputed greatest. But leaving out James has certainly caused a frenzy on social media.
Shaquille O’Neal opens up on how he used LeBron James to motivate Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had a love-hate relationship as both players needed each other on and off the court. While Kobe’s mamba mentality was fierce, he needed a little push from the Big Shaq in order for him to terrorize opposition defenses.
The motivation was a young LeBron James who had made an immediate impact on the NBA after joining the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he quickly rose as one of the league’s most popular players. O’Neal said he often mentioned LeBron’s name to provoke Bryant into pushing himself harder.
I would say things to make him mad on purpose because I knew that’s when he’d play his best. I’d tell him things like, ‘You’re not Michael Jordan,’ or, ‘That kid LeBron in Cleveland is better than you.’
Shaquille O’Neal said on the OG’s Podcast
Shaq used to use LeBron v Kobe debates for motivation:
“I used to say things to make him mad on purpose because I knew that’s when he’d play his best. I’d tell him things like, ‘You’re not Michael Jordan,’ or, ‘They got this kid LeBron in Cleveland who’s better than you.’”
(via… pic.twitter.com/a0z3DnlaDs
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) September 24, 2024
It’s fair to say that O’Neal’s tactics worked, as Bryant’s anger translated into high-pressure performances that made him one of the fiercest competitors in the league. King James now leads the Los Angeles Lakers, as he continues the legacy that Bryant helped build, thus cementing his place among the franchise’s all-time greats.
