The greatest NBA player of all time debate has been ongoing for generations. From discussions centred around legends like Bill Russell and Michael Jordan in the 20th century, to more modern icons such as Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in recent decades, fans have never fully agreed on the answer.
One player whose name is consistently included in those conversations is Shaquille O'Neal. The former Los Angeles Lakers superstar was among the most physically dominant athletes the NBA has ever seen, overpowering defenders with a combination of brute force, footwork, and touch around the rim during an era packed with elite centers.
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Across a career that lasted close to two decades, O'Neal collected four NBA championships, an MVP award, and 15 All-Star appearances. Along the way, he competed against several generations of basketball greatness and shared the floor with some of the game's biggest names.
Now, O'Neal has weighed in on the greatest of all time debate by revealing his personal top 10 NBA players ever, and a few of the selections are guaranteed to spark discussion.
10 Julius Erving
Julius Erving, Philadelphia 76ers
After initially placing himself at number 10, O'Neal changed course and handed the spot to Julius Erving instead. Long before the NBA became a global television phenomenon, the 76ers legend was already redefining what basketball stardom looked like. With elite athleticism and incredible flair, Dr J revolutionised dunking, while dominating both the ABA and NBA following the merger.
9 Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan Spurs
Regarded as one of the best power forwards ever, Tim Duncan rarely sought the spotlight, yet his consistency and efficiency made him one of basketball's most successful stars. Nicknamed 'Mr Fundamental', Duncan excelled with his positioning, post play, and elite defensive awareness.
Duncan's influence stretched across multiple eras of Spurs basketball. Whether alongside David Robinson, the Parker-Ginobili core, or the emerging Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio remained a contender with Duncan serving as the franchise cornerstone under Gregg Popovich.
8 Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon
Unlike many dominant centers of his era who relied heavily on strength, Hakeem Olajuwon separated himself with extraordinary footwork and finesse. His famous "Dream Shake" and elite basketball intelligence made him nearly impossible to defend, and he famously led the Houston Rockets past O'Neal's Orlando Magic in the 1995 NBA Finals.
"Usually a guy like that, on the first play of the game, I would try to commit an offensive foul. That was my thing, I take three steps to the middle and swing that elbow around. If your face there, you get hit. With him, I was real finesse, trying to be cute. But it also taught me a valuable lesson. I said to myself: if I ever make it back to the Finals again, I'm gonna throw a dominant performance so dominant it'll guarantee a win. I think that's why I got three Finals MVPs."
7 Larry Bird
Larry Bird
Larry Bird's rivalry with Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers helped define the NBA throughout the 1980s. During that era, the Celtics and Lakers consistently battled for supremacy while showcasing some of the greatest rosters basketball has ever seen.
For the Celtics, it was Bird who was the main man, and he was crucial in getting the team over the line in fierce and competitive series out East, especially against the Detroit Pistons. Bird's three-point shooting, clutch skills, and overall impact all make him one of the greats of the game.
6 Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain, Philadelphia Lakers
Still the only man to have breached the 100-point mark, Wilt Chamberlain was an unbelievable scorer and rebounder. The only player to average 30 points and 20 rebounds over a season - he did that a remarkable seven times - Chamberlain was the league's leading rebounder for 11 of his 14 seasons.
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While he may not have the same title resume as his rival and contemporary, Bill Russell, Chamberlain was similarly impactful on the court. Inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1978, the center would win four MVP awards and led the NBA in scoring for seven consecutive seasons.
5 Bill Russell
Bill Russell
The most successful player in NBA history, it's likely to say that no one will ever match the number of rings Bill Russell won while with the Boston Celtics. 11 championships came the way of the iconic center, while he was also a five-time NBA MVP and 12-time All-Star. Simply put, nobody really comes close to the titles and awards won by Russell.
A great rivalry with Chamberlain only added to the intrigue and the popularity of the NBA during the 1960s, and Russell would often get the better of his counterpart in the finals. Indeed, the Celtics would win eight successive titles from 1959 to 1966.
4 Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers
Widely regarded as the greatest point guard of all time, Magic Johnson's size and passing IQ made him the absolute stand-out during his era. Given that he was so versatile enough to play at the center in place of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the Los Angeles Lakers didn't even look out of place, it is a real testament to just how smart he was.
The facilitator of the Showtime Lakers, Johnson's battles with the likes of Bird and the Detroit Pistons' Isiah Thomas, made for must-watch viewing for any NBA fan during that time period. While there have been several talented point guards since, none have ever come close to matching the sheer impact Johnson made.
3 LeBron James
LeBron James Lakers
There have not been many players to have come straight out of high school and make the kind of impact LeBron James did when he first entered the NBA. A true star of the game from the moment he set foot on the court, James set about proving all the hype and expectation around him was fully justified.
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Aged 41, James continues to be one of the best players in the world right now, and it is a testament to his professionalism, hard work, and sheer talent that he is still able to hang with players quite literally half his age. James has seen and done it all, and while Shaq putting him at number three on his greatest players of all time list seems strange, it doesn't detract from what the King has achieved.
2 Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant
Perhaps not surprisingly, O'Neal opted to go with Kobe Bryant as the second-greatest player of all time, ahead of LeBron James. The duo were, of course, teammates during the Lakers' dominant run at the start of the 2000s, and while their time may not have lasted long, it certainly resulted in big success.
The Lakers would win three championships on the spin, and while O'Neal picked up Finals MVP in each of those series, Bryant carried his share of the load too. Bryant's longevity and work ethic is still talked about to this day, and having added a further two titles to his name later on his career without Shaq, it only cemented his legacy as a truly great player in his own right. He goes down as one of the best playoff players of all time.
1 Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls
The consensus best player of all time, Michael Jordan conquered all during his time in the NBA. A shooting guard who nobody has come close to matching, even O'Neal himself admitted that Jordan had some kind of aura about him that made even him scared to face him.
"He’s the only man that had me terrified on the court. Because I went from high school, admiring him, in college, admiring him, admiring him and then he’s right there in front you."
Jordan's impact on winning while with the Chicago Bulls was second-to-none, and his demanding nature meant that he lifted everyone around him to compete at the same level night-in and night-out. Multiple MVPs, multiple championships, and multiple All-Stars came Jordan's way, and as of right now, is still considered the number one basketball player in history. Including by Shaquille O'Neal.