Shaq

[madbomber31]

love him or hate him? your opinion without the harsh remarks...

 

[CN1]

hands down the best center to ever play the game, and the most dominating player ever!!!!!!!

 

[Warik]

If you removed that elbow he likes to throw all the time OR hired referees with better vision, he'd be an awful player.

I swear, my friend forced me to watch a basketball game once and all I could say was: "Didn't the ref see that elbow?" "Why did that guy get a foul if Shaq has done the same thing ten times in the past minute?"

Holy elbow throwing folks.

-Warik

 

[GenetiKing]

Shaq is the biggest and strongest player in the NBA.

Is he fun to watch? No.

Is he the most unstoppable force in the league? Yes.

Personally, I don't like watching him play, I think he gets away with too much on the court. I can't stand to watch him desecrate the art of shooting and he doesn't exactly seem to be of genius level intelligence. (Listen to some of the dumb shit he says in interviews...damn!)

I will give him credit for being an above average passer for a big man. However, he's not the great passer some propaganda-oriented analysts would have you believe. Anybody drawing the double and triple teams he does would have above average assist stats for a center.

Yeah, he's got two rings but I can think of at least 10 other players off the top of my head that I would pay money to watch over Shaquille.

 

[maxellyz]

Hes a great player with a big plus his size, without it he would probably be a average player.

 

[WODIN]

I think he is the best center ever! He has the skills and size for the game. There have been other centers come along who have been a fore in the game, but no one since Bill Russlle has so dominated the position.

 

[havoc]

To say he is the best center ever is like saying Richard Simmons is the uncrowned Mr. Olympia. I'm not going to be harsh here but I will say the best center to ever play the game is Hakeem Olajuwon, no center has ever had the total package that Hakeem had in his prime. Even Shaq has said the exact statement above and had no problem saying that Hakeem was the best ever. I remember when Hakeem came out on the court for the first time at the University of Houston. Guy Lewis brought him out along with a few other Phi Slama Jama members, they ran house like no other. If you disagree with me then you dont know shit about the game. This is coming from a person whos entire college was paid for because of my basketball skills basically implying that I know my shit. peace

 

[TxCollegeguy]

If he's the best center ever How crappy the league must be now, and more so in the past. You put him more then 4 feet from the basket and he can't hit a shot if his life depends on it. If anyone has the time I challenge them to find his shooting stats and post how many shots more then 4 ft from the basket he makes. I would bet he doesn't hit HALF of his shots he takes from more then 4ft out. I personally think it's a slap in the face to all the great Big Men the game has had to say he's the best ever. Hell he's going to go into the Hall of Fame no doubt cause their isn't any fatasses in the league that can shove him around. He will go into the hall with what will probably be the worst free throw percentage of any center there. Hell he was a better shooter back at LSU then he is now. He actually made a good amount of Highpost shots. His passing skills are doing fine and his defense is good too, but his shooting is just sad

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

Havoc,

If I am an NBA GM I would rather have Shaq's strength and force than Hakeem's variety of offensive skills.

Hakeem was poetry on the court - true - and watching him abuse David Robinson (in D.R.s prime) was incredible....

But Hakeem on defense would be as useless as Mutombo was in the finals. (Shaq: 36 points 14 rebs against Dikembe)

Also, as a defensive player, Shaq blocks and changes more shots just with his presence than Hakeem did. Not to disrespect Hakeem's game - just I would build a team around Shaq first.


To others:

Why ask about Shaq "without his size"? That's like saying "Vince Carter with no ups"....stupid. Shaq is a force of Nature.

 

[CN1]

you know for all these shaq posts you guys that degrade and try to insult shaq know absolutely nothing about sports or basketball, If you went to any NBA executive, any player, any coach, or any NBA journalist, or chick hearn, and asked them what they thought about shaquille Oneal, they would say he is the best center ever and the most dominating player in the post ever before, go ask bill walton, I think he knows what he is talking about, and he has said many times shaq is the most dominating ever and the best center in the game throughout history.......so all the people that are hatin and dissin, you guys know absolutely nothing about the game!!!!!! Stick to posting ignorant results and opinions on chat boards, cause you guys know absolutely zero when it comes to basketball, and sports, and the players in the history and present day time!!!!1

 

[Natymike]

best ever my ass. To be the best ever you would think he would need the total package, ya know be able to shoot the ball from more than 4 feet away from the basket.

In his prime, Hakeem Alajuwon was the best center ever. Of course I'm from Houston so I'm being a little partial, but he was the total package. He could shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor, won defensive player of the year many years, and could MAKE FUCKING FREE THOWS.

If shaq was 60 or 70 lbs lighter, his whole game plan of overpowering everyone would be useless, thus, so would he.

 

[Natymike]

but Hakeem on defense would be as useless as Mutombo was in the finals. (Shaq: 36 points 14 rebs against Dikembe)

very true, however, shaqs defense would also be useless. 99% of Hakeems shots were fade-aways, and totally unguardable. He would do that shit in front of the 3 point line and hit nothing but net. Shaq would prevent the easy lay-up, but the dream would still hit the outside shot with ease.

Shaq is the most dominating player to ever play the game, but without size, he sucks, so even though he may seem like the best ever, I just can't say it.

 

[Natymike]

if they want to gain 60 pounds them tell them to drink some weight gainer and still watch shaq destroy them.

If every center was 7'3'' 320 lbs or whatever the fuck he is, then he would not "destroy them" Mutombo is a skinny bastard along with every other center in the game aside from shaq. Give Mutombo another 90lbs and you have a good matchup.

 

[Natymike]

LETS NOT FORGET THE 95 NBA FINALS WHEN HAKEEM ABUSED SHAQ AND SWEPT THE SERIES.

 

[CN1]

you guys are saying if he wasnt 360, or if the refs called it how it should be, well if the refs would call it the way its suppose to be, shaq would be standing at the freethrow line all night, other players murder him and the refs dont call shit......shaq barely touches the opposing player and or moves them out of the way with his weight its a foul on shaq...........now hakeem in his prime, well shaq hasnt even began to reach his prime, give him 5 more years and that will be his prime, he already has 2 rings, and will have 7 more easy, kobe is only 22, ohh and for all you texas boys I thought tim duncan was the new and best center, well shaq moreless sent him and david robinson home on a fuckin broom, two seven footers combined couldnt stop shaq, where was hakeem, the spurs twin towers plowed his ass over............shaq in UNSTOPPABLE, well just have to wait and see what happens in the next 8 years, and in 4 of those shaq will be in his prime, this year shaq really just now started to come full circle with passing, freethrows, and brougt a total game to the court......next 7 seasons.....LAKERS!!!!!

 

[TxCollegeguy]

When Houston played Orlando in the finals Shaq was stopped in every way possible. I believe Hakeem avg more blocks against him then any other post in the playoffs that year.

Though I think Shaq is the most powerfull player in the game today I think he could be SO much better if he could Redevelop some range to his shots. I really really really hope he works on developing his free throw. Had he made even half of his 12 missed free throws La would have swept philly

best ever I doubt, most powerfull in the paint no doubt. Could he improve and be the best player ever yes I think he can, and if he's really hungry for more championship rings I think he's going to need to find that range he used to have.

 

[big dog]

Must I keep reminded you, Hakeem was a seasoned pro at the top of his game, and Shaq was 24 and had only been in the league 2 years.

Shaq would fuck over Hakeem if they both were in their prime.