During this time of year, both current and former NBA stars share their all-time starting fives, offering fans insight into their perspectives on the greatest players in the league’s history.
For many, including Shaquille O’Neal, he is a guaranteed inclusion on such lists. According to Sport Bild, as reported by NBACentral, O’Neal disclosed his all-time starting five, with himself as the center.
His selections also include Karl Malone, Julius Erving, and Kobe Bryant. Completing his lineup is Michael Jordan, whom O’Neal considers the greatest player of all time.
Many fans resonate with O’Neal’s choices, agreeing that these five players are indeed deserving of a spot on the list. While most of these legends paved the way for O’Neal and played before his era, he had the opportunity to compete alongside Jordan, Malone, and Bryant.
As fans know, he spent several years playing with Bryant. In the past, there were moments of tension between Bryant and O’Neal, making the idea of O’Neal including him in his starting five seem unlikely.
Fortunately, as they matured, the two legends reconciled and developed a close bond prior to Bryant’s untimely passing. It’s intriguing that O’Neal’s list features no current players, reflecting his appreciation for the game’s history.
Always a keen student of basketball, O’Neal has dedicated himself to studying the legends who came before him. It would be interesting to see how he would construct a starting five composed solely of today’s NBA players.