“Wilt only got two championships” - Shaq’s issue with Shannon Sharpe ranking him as the third-best center of all time
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Shaquille O'Neal generally dismisses Shannon Sharpe's basketball opinion, citing the former Super Bowl Champ's lack of what he terms 'G14' classification. However, The Big Aristotle graciously acknowledged Sharpe's recent ranking, which placed him as the third-greatest center in NBA history. Interestingly, addressing this on the latest episode of his podcast, while he accepted his position, the three-time Finals MVP uncontrollably presented a counterargument for why he should be ranked second, ahead of Wilt Chamberlain, in Sharpe's list.
"Only problem I had with Shannon said, yes Wilt did average 50 and did all that but he's only got two championships. He didn't get double and quadruple team," O'Neal said. "And this is why I wish I didn't get hurt that last year 'cause I wanted to pass Wilt Chamberlain in points. People always look at stats but what is the ultimate stat that you're supposed to look at - championships, right?"
Shaq calls himself the most dominant
Considering Shaq's assertion about his desire to catch Wilt in the all-time points scorers list, had he not injured himself during his stint with the Boston Celtics. The Big Dipper might be just one place ahead of Shaq, but he held the lead by as many as 2,823 points. This gap would've required 'Diesel' to average more than 17 points per game in two seasons while he averaged 13.9 points in his last five seasons combined.
Furthermore, Shaq expressed surprise at witnessing Bill Russell being ranked two places below Chamberlain after beating him in two NBA Finals and eliminating him five times in the conference finals.
Despite his emphasis on championships as a crucial metric for such rankings, the 15-time All-Star maintains a philosophical perspective on such lists. He concluded by expressing contentment with his inclusion among the all-time great centers, regardless of specific placement, as he self-categorized himself as the 'most dominant.'
"I think the category 'MD' it belongs to me," Shaq added. "I think I am the most dominant ever… but you talk about the numbers (yes) Wilt's numbers are better than mine… I have no problem in being No. 3. I'm just glad I'm mentioned."
O'Neal has always boasted confidence against Wilt
While even Wilt's greatest rival, Bill Russell, did not outperform him, Shaq has never shied away from asserting that he is on par with 'Wilt the Stilt.' Whether it's in terms of leading his team to a championship or confidently claiming he would 'bust Wilt's a**' in a hypothetical one-on-one matchup, Shaq's confidence remains unshaken.
Although fans can never witness these two legends debate their supremacy face-to-face, it is at least respectable to acknowledge that both are consistently ranked among the top four centers in NBA history.