<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">3 ? SHAQUILLE O'NEAL His Bigness (including his mouth, girth, intelligence, sense of humor and accomplishments) is still on the scene. For sure, he's slow off the floor, a limited rebounder, and a mostly stationary defender ? but Shaq remains one of the best ever. Aside from Kevin McHale, Shaq has more moves at his disposal in the pivot than anyone else in the record book. Russell was better on defense and infinitely more dominant. Abdul-Jabbar could score more points more efficiently. And, although Shaq has spent many seasons out of shape, struggling with injuries, and/or giving in to his own ennui, he's still more consistently competitive than was Chamberlain.</div> Shaq is great but even he rates Chamberlain ahead of himself...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker31:</div><div class="quote_post">hes 2nd I dont care who it is no1 has been more dominant ever than Shaq.</div> You really need to look up on the history of the game.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker31:</div><div class="quote_post">hes 2nd I dont care who it is no1 has been more dominant ever than Shaq.</div> Do the names Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell ring a bell?
Anybody with common sense knows that Shaq would KILL Chamberlin. Especially Shaq in his prime. People have symphathy for players in the 60's, but if go by talent, size, and strength, he's the BEST OF ALL TIME.
Hakeem in his prime or Shaq in his prime? Hakeem could take you in, face up, jumpshots, pick and rolls, and no question, he was a better defender than Shaq ....... IT'S A TOSS-UP!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting PUREPOINT:</div><div class="quote_post">Hakeem in his prime or Shaq in his prime? Hakeem could take you in, face up, jumpshots, pick and rolls, and no question, he was a better defender than Shaq ....... IT'S A TOSS-UP!!</div> Agreed......But I can't be bias because Hakeem is my man. Shaq didn't have as many moves, but he was so big he could just push Hakeem out of his way. Hakeem was my favorite though
Sure there are players better then Shaq but he has changed the game of basketball. In his prime defenses couldn't stop him and he dominated like a man among boys. Hack-A-Shaq was invented just to slow him down. There were aspects of his game he could have improved on but everyone has their faults. He is a great player and I think he is one of the top 10 of all time.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Swish15:</div><div class="quote_post">Sure there are players better then Shaq but he has changed the game of basketball. In his prime defenses couldn't stop him and he dominated like a man among boys. Hack-A-Shaq was invented just to slow him down. There were aspects of his game he could have improved on but everyone has their faults. He is a great player and I think he is one of the top 10 of all time.</div> Wilt literally changed the game, they made the lane wider, restrictions on how to shoot free throws, and invented offensive goal tending just to try to level the playing field. And hacking was also invented for Wilt: http://www.nba.com/history/players/chamberlain_bio.html "In Chamberlain's first year, and for several years afterward, opposing teams simply didn't know how to handle him. Tom Heinsohn, the great Celtics forward who later became a coach and broadcaster, said Boston was one of the first clubs to apply a team-defense concept to stop Chamberlain. "We went for his weakness," Heinsohn told the Philadelphia Daily News in 1991, "tried to send him to the foul line, and in doing that he took the most brutal pounding of any player ever.. I hear people today talk about hard fouls. Half the fouls against him were hard fouls." I cant deny Shaq the top 10 of all time but Wilt did everything Shaq did and more.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">I cant deny Shaq the top 10 of all time but Wilt did everything Shaq did and more.</div> Wilt did do more than Shaq did, but in a era where players were slower, and much smaller than today. How can you mention Wilt's achievments and not mention that it was IN THE 60'S. If Wilt played today, he'd still be an allstar/hall of famer, but he still can't match up with the Shaq. One on One Shaq could dominate ANYBODY, from ANY ERA. That alone makes him the GREATEST CENTER OF ALL TIME.
Shaq' is in no way better than Wilt. Shaq' himself has said there has only been one other player of his breed and that's Mr. Wilt. They were/are both the most dominant players ever in the game of basketball. Wilt changed the dimensions and rules of the game, like Run BJM said. The leauge widened the paint, put the offensive and defensive gaoltending rules in effect and made players shoot the ball from the free throw line because Wilt would jump from the free throw line and dunk the ball. Shaq' is very dominating but he isn't in the realm of Wilt. They play the game similarly but I have to say that Wilt is the greatest player to ever step foot on a basketball court. Shaq' and Wilt are truly two of a kind. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Wilt did do more than Shaq did, but in a era where players were slower, and much smaller than today. How can you mention Wilt's achievments and not mention that it was IN THE 60'S. If Wilt played today, he'd still be an allstar/hall of famer, but he still can't match up with the Shaq. One on One Shaq could dominate ANYBODY, from ANY ERA. That alone makes him the GREATEST CENTER OF ALL TIME.</div> Would you please stop using the argument that Saq' plays in a tougher era? Wilt and Russell were 15-20 years ahead of their time. Wilt would dominate in the leauge today. Like I said above, Wilt and Shaq' play the game the same way.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rock4life:</div><div class="quote_post">Wilt did do more than Shaq did, but in a era where players were slower, and much smaller than today. How can you mention Wilt's achievments and not mention that it was IN THE 60'S. If Wilt played today, he'd still be an allstar/hall of famer, but he still can't match up with the Shaq. One on One Shaq could dominate ANYBODY, from ANY ERA. That alone makes him the GREATEST CENTER OF ALL TIME.</div> I really have a hard time taking your argument into account when you provide no evidence, examples, stats, etc. I know stats arent everything but right now you are just giving your opinion and not even debating.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">Do the names Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell ring a bell?</div> Russell was great but not as dominating as Shaq, c'mon Russell was definately as dominating and as competative as Shaq. It could go either way Shaq or Russel i just think he's the most dominant of all time other than Wilt.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">You really need to look up on the history of the game.</div> Excuse me for bursting your bubble sir. I know plenty about basketball and I don't need you to tell me to go look up the games history.
Olajuwan has to be the most under-rated player ever... people think the great 3 centers of all time are Russell, Chamberlain and Shaq... I don't deny that Shaq is a great player... probably the most dominant of this era... but he'd be 4th... Russell won the championships because he always had the better team, but Chamberlain was always the more dominant player.. but those guys would be 2 and 2a.. Hakeem is by far the most complete center in any era... Chamberlain and Russell had to play each other... Shaq has no competition whatsoever... but Hakeem... he played in an era when Jordan, Malone, Bird, Johnson, Barkley, Robinson, was in their prime... Hakeem played in an era against two of the top 5 centers of all time.. Ewing and Robinson... Shaq has no one to even come close to him... Why do you think Shaq backed out of the one on one PPV against Hakeem in 94? you can can have Shaq and his girth... or Russell and his defense.. or Chamberlain and his scoring.. but I'd take Olajuwon over these guys everytime... name the top 5 centers in Russell and Chamberlain's era and name the top 5 centers in Shaq'a era and I bet the top 5 Centers in Hakeem's will beat them any day...
he may not be the best center of all time, but there's no question that he's the most dominant center of all time.
There's not another center with Shaq's size who is as skilled down low as Shaq. Usually 7 foot 320 pound men aren't very skilled but Shaq just dominates by not only using size, but skill as well. Russell was a great winner and a tremendous rebounder, but all these guys played with great players around them. 1. Wilt 2. Shaq 3. Russell 4. Kareem 5. Hakeem Those r my rankings and if u don't like them live with it.
While Shaq would also be dominant in the 60's, Wilt would also still be dominant now [not to the same effect], and is overall better than him. Wilt was not as strong as Shaq, but he was faster, quicker, a higher jumper, had more variety in his offense, and though he also sucked at FT's, had an outside game. They're about equal as passers with Wilt having a slight edge there, and Wilt was also a better rebounder [he won't be getting 20+ RPG now, but 14-17 RPG], shot blocker, and defender. He never fouled out in a game, I think he was ejected twice, but never fouling out is real good. Remember Wilt got his scholarship to college for Basketball and Track & Field, he did high jump, and 110m hurdles. One thing I have to give to Shaq though is that he's been a more efficient scorer than Wilt. When Wilt was averaging high PPG numbers, his scoring efficiency was not on the same level as Shaq's. Shaq has shot over 57% in 11 of his 13 years. Wilt shot over 57% 5 times, and 2 of those were in his last 2 years when he was hardly scoring on the Lakers. His highest FG% when scoring 30+ PPG was 54%, and every other year over 30 PPG, he shot under 53%. Centers I'd rate over Shaq no question: Wilt Chamberlain Hakeem Olajuwon Bill Russell While Russell was a great winner, as an individual player, he was not really better than Shaq. If he played Shaq, as good as he was defensively, he wouldn't be able to stop Shaq from getting his position 5 feet near the basket, and turning and doing a hook, or backing him down and dunking. His will to win, and championships would give him the nod, and actually before Wilt died, Russell, Bird, Magic etc were considered better players than him by many. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Shaq has no competition whatsoever</div> Shaq came into the league in 92-93. When he came in the league, Robinson and Olajuwon were just getting into their primes, Ewing was around, Robert Parish was still playing [was effective till Shaq's second year], and Alonzo Mourning was there too. Shaq in his second year when all those guys were playing very well, averaged 29.9 PPG, 13.2 RPG, 2.85 BPG, and shot 59.9% FG [career high till his 60.1% this year]. Olajuwon was still dominant till Shaq's first year in LA, Robinson till Shaq's second year in LA, and same as Ewing, except he got injured in 97/98. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Wilt did do more than Shaq did, but in a era where players were slower, and much smaller than today. How can you mention Wilt's achievments and not mention that it was IN THE 60'S. If Wilt played today, he'd still be an allstar/hall of famer, but he still can't match up with the Shaq. One on One Shaq could dominate ANYBODY, from ANY ERA. That alone makes him the GREATEST CENTER OF ALL TIME.</div> Player measurments were in barefeet then, not in shoes, so everyone right now would be about an inch taller. It still didn't make them 7 footers, but Russell would be about 6'10, which would still make him a PF nowadays. Nate Thurmond would be 7'0 etc..
