When there’s a discussion concerning the level of physicality in the NBA, Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t think twice. This time, he got into a heated debate with JJ Redick after the former Clippers shooter committed a mistake, accusing him of having inconsistent but “incredible physicality” in the modern NBA. O’Neal was adamantly opposed. Redick even called Shaq a “hater” after the player delivered a biting critique of contemporary great centers.
The three-time Finals MVP refuted the accusation and stated that because players in today’s NBA don’t experience the same level of toughness, he cannot regard someone as a great center. He did, however, list a few people who might have survived that time.
Along with JJ Redick, the 2000 MVP questioned if today’s great centers could have survived his time on “The Big Podcast with Shaq.” He described himself as having outperformed the greats of his period, including Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Patrick Ewing. He does not, however, perceive a comparable spark in today’s elite big guys. However, he added that Nikola Jokic, the 2023 Finals MVP, may have survived in his day because of his skill as an inside finisher and jump shooter. He said,
“When I started dominating, you know with all these guys they bringing in if they couldn’t have played with us, that’s how I judge them. Joker I think, he could have played with us because he has the ability to go inside outside.”
Shaq would therefore be unable to compete with the best centers of his era, with the exception of the superstar Center of the Nuggets.
The former all-star for the Lakers asserted that the present generation would have been overrun by fouls because his time was marked by an unrelenting stream of them. While egregious fouls were common in earlier eras, Redick contended that this feature is outside the bounds of sports.