Shaq aligns with Jordan: Claiming ‘GOAT’ is disrespectful to basketball’s history. Humility over self-proclamation.
The debate over who holds the title of the greatest basketball player of all time has been a fixture in basketball conversations for decades. But according to Shaquille O’Neal, any all-time great affirming that status might be missing the point altogether.
Michael Jordan has had a long-standing stance that it is inappropriate for a player to crown themselves as the greatest, no matter how decorated their career might be.
O’Neal’s take
O’Neal, a four-time NBA champion and one of the most dominant centers to ever play the game, echoed Jordan’s sentiments when asked about the G.O.A.T. conversation.
“Mike makes a great point, he said, “It’s kind of disrespectful to say I’m the G.O.A.T. because you forget about the ones that play before us,” O’Neal said. “And I’m kind of on that same thought process. With Wilt [Chamberlain] and Bill Russell, and I’m just happy to be mentioned in the same name.”
In almost everyone’s eyes, Jordan is regarded as the greatest player to ever grace the NBA hardwood. But the Chicago icon has consistently avoided calling himself the greatest. He doesn’t discredit the status but feels the glory should speak for itself.
He won six NBA championships, five league MVP awards and went a perfect 6-0 record in the finals. His dominance in the 1990s with the Bulls, including two three-peats, set a standard that many players since have tried — and largely failed to match. Yet, even with such an unmatched legacy, Jordan has remained humble about his place in the sport’s history.
He appreciated those who came before him. Julius Erving, for one, has also been a figure that both Jordan and O’Neal have cited when discussing basketball’s lineage. Erving’s influence on the game during the ABA-NBA merger era is undeniable, earning him the nickname “Dr. J.”
He led the Philadelphia 76ers to an NBA title in 1983, was a two-time ABA champion and was instrumental in shaping the modern style of play with his high-flying dunks and smooth scoring ability. O’Neal’s acknowledgment of Erving reinforces the idea that basketball greatness didn’t begin with the Jordan era — it’s a legacy passed down through generations.
Staying humble
O’Neal’s own career provides a strong case for an all-time great status in the center position. The 7’1″, 300-pound powerhouse, won three straight NBA titles with the Los Angeles Lakers from 2000 to 2002, earning Finals MVP in each of those victories.
He added a fourth ring with the Miami Heat in 2006 and finished his career with over 28,000 points and 13,000 rebounds. But even with such staggering numbers, O’Neal has never publicly called himself the greatest, deferring to the belief that greatness is a shared legacy rather than a single accolade.
The humility shown by Jordan and O’Neal contrasts with the modern sports landscape, where players are more vocal about their place in basketball history. LeBron James, who holds the all-time NBA scoring record, has openly called himself the G.O.A.T., citing his comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the 2016 NBA Finals as the defining moment of his career.
Coming back from a 3-1 deficit against a record-breaking 73-win Golden State Warriors — and giving the Cleveland Cavaliers their first-ever title — is an all-time great achievement. It creates a divide in how greatness is perceived, with older players often deferring to history and legacy rather than individual accomplishments.
It’s a continuous thread that ties together past, present and future. Players like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Erving paved the way for Jordan, who in turn set the standard for the likes of Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and James.
