Bill Russell on how he would guard prime Shaquille O'Neal: "Make him move laterally"
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Shaquille O'Neal had the footwork of a guard, a sneaky high basketball IQ, and strength that couldn't be matched. At the peak of his game, O'Neal was often labeled the NBA's most dominant player of all time, and for good reasons. But how would arguably the game's greatest defensive center of all time try to guard the Diesel?
Bill Russell won 11 championships for a reason. He was once regarded as the greatest player ever for a reason. This is the same guy who went head-to-head against a devastating force known as Wilt Chamberlain back in the 1960s. If Russell held his own against the guy who scored 100 points in a game, he would have a strategy against O'Neal, too, right?
In an interview back in 1995, Russell raved about the young Orlando Magic center's dominance. In just his early 20s, Shaq led his team to the NBA Finals as the best player on his team. NBC's Bob Costas wanted to get Russell's take on how he would guard O'Neal.
"Well, with Shaq, I would play him without the ball," the legendary big man said. "But I would try to make him move laterally. I would never try to match him in power play. I would try to make him play horizontal than vertical."
"They are a lot alike but very different," Russell added, comparing Shaq and Wilt. "I love to watch Shaq play. I like his personality. I like his dedication, and I like his discipline. Tonight in the first-half, he got about five or six assists, playing to help his team win.
Although O'Neal continued making a name for himself in his first couple of seasons, Orlando was still working their way to the top as a franchise. After winning 41 games in his rookie season, No.32 elevated the Magic to 50+ wins in 1994, earning them their first playoff appearance in the franchise's very short existence.
But it wasn't until 1995 that Orlando, led by a more experienced Shaquille, hit its stride and became one of the most dominant teams in the league. In the 1994-1995 season, 22-year-old O'Neal led the Magic to 57 wins as the league's No.1 ranked offense. He averaged 29.3 points and 11.4 rebounds on 58.3 percent shooting and finished second in the MVP voting.
Would Russell have the tools to stop Shaq?
O'Neal was a force with his back to the basket. He would often be so effective using his elbows to poke defenders away as he spun to the basket. Pair that with his enormous size and power; he effortlessly sent opponents flying into the basket stanchion.
That's where the physicality comes into play in a hypothetical Russell vs. O'Neal matchup. Bill gives up over 120 lbs to Shaq, which is just absurd. How would a guy that much smaller possibly be able to hang with his opponent?
Maybe in 1995, Russell would've matched up better with a lighter Shaq, although even that's a big if. But once the Diesel got to Los Angeles, he made his way up the scale to over 300 lbs.
Orlando Shaq vs. L.A. Shaq
If you count the rings, O'Neal as a Laker was miles better than he was with the Magic. But let's look at it this way: Orlando Shaq was an athletic freak, while L.A. Shaq was a physical force. Both were pretty much unguardable.
In 2000, the Diesel scored a career-high 61 points and 23 rebounds in a dominating win over the L.A. Clippers. Remarkably, this game remained the last in NBA history where a player scored 60 or more points without making a single three-pointer until Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved it in 2023.
The Lakers, led by Shaq, were flying high in the 1999–2000 campaign, winning 31 of their first 36 games and finishing with a 67–15 record, their highest since 1987. O'Neal's impressive performance throughout the 1999–2000 season earned him the regular season MVP award. He capped off his dominating season by being named the unanimous Finals MVP, averaging a mind-blowing 38.0 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks in six games.
Truly, a force like O'Neal will never be seen again in the NBA. Although he could've won more in his career if he had stayed in shape, there's no denying that the big man is one of the biggest cheat codes the league has ever seen.