Shaquille O’Neal is probably the best center to play in the NBA. His insane physicality and the ability to hold off defenders made him a beast. And that’s exactly what the Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr feels.
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Shaq played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1996 to 2004 winning 3 NBA titles in his prime. According to Steve Kerr, Shaq has similarities to players like Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson. But Shaq is better than all of them, thanks to his physical advantage.
Steve Kerr praises Shaquille O’Neal
NBA legend and the current Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr knows all about Shaquille O’Neal. He has played Shaq on 39 occasions across their glorious careers and has even spent a season with him.
And according to Kerr, Shaq is better than Hall of Famers like Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson. The reason being? His physical advantage over all of them.
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Warriors head coach Steve Kerr talks to the media as the Golden State Warriors prepare to take on the Houston Rockets in game 6 of the NBA Western Conference finals at Oracle Arena in Oakland, Ca., on Sat. May 26, 2018. (Photo by Michael Macor/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)
Steve Kerr said, “He was just bigger and stronger and faster than all of the other guys. As good as Patrick Ewing was, as good as Hakeem Olajuwon was, David Robinson, those guys were all Hall of Famers, amazing players. With every one of those opponents, Shaq was either bigger, stronger, or faster or a combination of everything.”
These praises from an 8 time NBA champion give us an idea of how good Shaquille O’Neal was during his prime. Kerr has won 5 NBA titles as a player and 3 during his coaching stint with the Warriors.
Shaq was incredibly hard to defend
Shaquille O’Neal weighed around 350 pounds and stood an incredible seven-foot-one inch tall. Needless to say, he was incredibly tough to defend.
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PHOENIX – FEBRUARY 12: Shaquille O’Neal #32 of the Eastern Conference All-Stars cracks a smile against the Western Conference All-Stars during the1995 NBA All-Star Game on February 12, 1995, at the America West Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 1995 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
In fact, opposing teams used various tactics to stop him. One of them is “Hack-a-Shaq”. Since Shaquille O’Neal was regarded as a bad free-throw shooter, teams used this to their advantage. They devised a tactic that involved intentionally fouling Shaq to force him to the free-throw line. Shaq was terrible at free throws which helped teams save a lot of points.
Have Kerr and Shaq played together?
The two NBA legends played briefly for a while in Orlando Magic during the 1992-93 season. This is the rookie season of Shaquille O’Neal while Kerr was fairly experienced in the league.
Kerr was traded to the Chicago Bulls the following season where he became a part of the Bulls’ super-team consisting of stars like Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman.
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The two have played each other on 39 occasions. Kerr holds the advantage with 20 wins over Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq averages 26.6 points, 12.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists in the games played between them. While Kerr averages 4.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the 39 games.
What is your favorite memory of Shaquille O’Neal? Let us know in the comments below.
