National Basketball Association

Shaquille O'Neal rates himself fourth behind Kareem, Wilt and Russell among centers

Published Aug. 26, 2021 5:50 p.m. ET

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The demise of the big man in the NBA might be exaggerated, especially when considering the exploits of guys such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid.

However, there's no denying that the game has changed such that traditional big men aren't quite what they used to be.

"Pace and space" is the name of the NBA right now, but nobody will forget the dominant centers of yesteryear, including the most recent example: Shaquille O'Neal.

Shaq was a dominant force throughout a career that spanned nearly two decades from the 1992-93 season to 2010-11.

Drafted by the Orlando Magic with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, Shaq made an instant impact. He made the first of his 15 All-Star Games in his debut season for Orlando and was the league's Rookie of the Year.

Checking in at 7-foot-1 and just north of 300 pounds coming out of LSU, Shaq continued to add weight to his formidable physique as his career progressed.

He joined the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent in 1996, teaming up with Kobe Bryant to form one of the greatest duos in league history. And as Shaq revealed on the "NBA on TNT" earlier this year, he got to nearly 400 pounds during his time with the Lakers.

During the first championship run of the "three-peat" for the Lakers in 1999-00, Shaq said he weighed 345 pounds. The following season he was at 265 pounds, before finally getting up to 395 pounds in his final title in Los Angeles. 

When he left L.A. to join the Miami Heat for the 2004-05 season, he said he weighed 315 pounds. When, he, Dwyane Wade and the Heat won the championship a season later, Shaq said he weighed about 325 pounds.

To put all of that into context, the heaviest active player in the NBA is Boston Celtics center Tacko Fall, listed at 7-foot-5 and 311 pounds.

Shaq finished his Hall of Fame career with stints with the Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers and Celtics. A two-time scoring champion, he finished 10th all time with 28,596 points scored and 16th with 13,099 rebounds.

The league's MVP in 1999-00, he also won the Finals MVP trophy three times in his career.

All that is to say, Shaq is undeniably one of the greatest the game has ever seen. However, when it comes to big men, Shaq reopened the discussion when he voiced his agreement on an Instagram post that rated him as the fourth-best center of all time.

The list put Shaq fourth among centers, behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

That trio of Hall of Famers certainly belongs in the discussion. As a quick refresher, here are some key stats and accomplishments from each of the three:

• Abdul Jabbar: 38,387 career points (most all time), 17,440 career rebounds (fourth),  Six NBA championships
• Chamberlain: 31,419 career points (seventh), 23,924 career rebounds (first), Two NBA championships
• Russell: 14,522 career points (162nd), 21,620 career rebounds (second), 11 NBA championships (most)

Lofty company, for sure. But is Shaq selling himself short in agreeing he's the fourth-best of the bunch?

Skip Bayless of "Undisputed" said Shaq is "underestimating" himself.

"Shaq, I got your back on this," Bayless said. "… In all my years of watching and studying the National Basketball Association, I have never seen anything like Shaquille O'Neal for 2000, 2001, 2002, maybe even 2003. It was the most overpowering force imaginable. 

"He was unguardable, unstoppable, un-referee-able. … If I'm trying to imagine Shaq vs. Kareem at their greatest, I don't think Kareem could have dealt with Shaq."

Skip Bayless on Shaq listing himself as fourth-best center: He's underestimating himself with his dominant play from 2000-2003 I UNDISPUTED

Skip Bayless explains why he feels Shaq 'is underestimating himself' by ranking him as the fourth-best center of all time.

However, Shannon Sharpe said he thinks Shaq nailed his assessment, albeit with a change in the top three.

"For me, the top two are no-brainers: Kareem and Wilt," Sharpe said. "… But I put Hakeem Olajuwon at three. Shaq at four. I put Russell at five."

Sharpe also conceded Shaq could have been higher on the list ⁠— perhaps even the best player ever ⁠— if the big man had maintained a more dedicated mindset in the offseason. 

There's no turning back the clock for Shaq, unfortunately. And if he's content to bill himself at No. 4, then who's to argue with him?

The question now is: Will we ever see a center who could threaten his place in the pecking order?

For more up-to-date news on all things "Undisputed," click here to register for alerts on the FOX Sports app!

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