Shaquille O’Neal recently weighed in on the ongoing debate about the greatest basketball players of all time, a discussion that frequently includes names like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Shaq himself. While many consider Shaq one of the sport’s all-time greats, he offered an interesting perspective on his place in the GOAT conversation during an appearance on **The Old Man and The Three** podcast.
Shaq, a four-time NBA champion, won three titles with the LA Lakers between 2000 and 2002 and another with the Miami Heat in 2006. He was also named the NBA Finals MVP three times and earned the league’s Most Valuable Player award in 2000. Despite his impressive resume, Shaq expressed some reservations about being included in the GOAT debate alongside legends like Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe.
In the podcast, Shaq admitted that while he feels he should be part of the conversation, he prefers to be mentioned only if his inclusion is definitive. He explained that if there’s any doubt or debate about his place among the greatest, he’d rather not be included at all.
“I get jealous that my name is not in that greatest of all time, but I come from an era of if it’s not dominantly for sure, don’t mention my name,” Shaq said. “Of course, we have a lot of different categories. The most dominant category, I’m him. You can only say one other name, and I don’t want to hear nobody else’s name.”
Shaq also acknowledged that while he’d like to be part of the GOAT conversation, he understands that players like Jordan, LeBron, and Kobe might have a more “definite” claim to that title. “When you talk about LeBron and Mike, it’s definite, and Kobe should be added to that,” he added.
Ultimately, Shaq emphasized that if he’s not definitively considered one of the greatest, he doesn’t want any consideration at all. However, he did assert his place as one of the most dominant players, particularly among big men, in NBA history. “When it comes to one of the greatest big men, I am in that conversation, that’s definite,” Shaq concluded.
This candid reflection from Shaq highlights his respect for the legends of the game while also recognizing his unique place in basketball history.
