Shaquille O’Neal recently stirred the pot by suggesting that current NBA rival players don’t fear LeBron James as they did fear Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. This bold claim has ignited a fierce debate among basketball fans, with some dismissing O’Neal’s opinion as having “zero idea.” The comparison between the fear factor evoked by these legendary players has split opinions, showcasing the enduring impact of Bryant and Jordan on the league’s psyche.
As fans dissect O’Neal’s statement, the discussion delves into the intangible qualities that define a player’s legacy in the eyes of their peers and opponents. Will this controversy settle anytime soon, or are we in for more heated debates on the hardwood?
While some believe that players today may not fear LeBron James as they did Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, others disagree vehemently. The comparison between these basketball legends has sparked intense debates among fans.
O’Neal – a Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA TNT analyst – dished out his take while talking with former Heat guard Mario Chalmers, who won two rings with James in Miami, on ‘The Big Podcast,’ co-hosted by none other than ‘Shaq Daddy’ himself.
‘I’ve heard players say, including myself, ”I feared Mike [Jordan].” I’ve heard players in [Chalmers’] generation say they feared Kobe,’ O’Neal said, at first.
‘I’ve never really heard any player say they feared LeBron.’
O’Neal went on to describe James as a ‘nice guy’ after Chalmers said that he once faced backlash in the past for having the same opinion as the former big man.
‘I got killed for that,’ Chalmers said. ‘I didn’t think that players really feared LeBron, like they did Jordan.
‘I’ve never heard anybody say it,’ Shaq added before Chalmers clarified his take.
‘It’s not that players shouldn’t fear LeBron,’ Chalmers said, adding: ‘I just think… at the end of the day, ‘Bron has been through so much that he wanted to be liked.
‘So, it was kind of like… ”I’m going to do things now so that people like me, people respect me.” I mean [people are] always going to respect what [he] did but you’re actually going to like ‘Bron and want to be a fan of ‘Bron now. So I think that’s what that was…’
Bewildered by both former players’ opinion of the Los Angeles Lakers star, fans pointed to James’ playoff record in the Eastern Conference during his days on the Cleveland Cavaliers, as evidence that opponents didn’t want to matchup against the four-time NBA champion and his teammates.
‘Just ask any player in the eastern conference in the 2010’s that same question,’ a user on X (Twitter) shared.
‘Raptors would like a word with Shaq’ another tweeted, referring to James’ 12-2 playoff record against Toronto in his career.
A different user said: ‘Lebron certainly was feared in the East during his prime, stop it.’
As LeBron James’ dominance clashes with Kobe and MJ’s legacies, fans are split between agreeing or disagreeing with Shaq. The ongoing saga of rival players’ fear comparison keeps the court sizzling with tension.
Flip to the next page to watch Shaq speak and reactions…