Shaquille O’Neal transformed into a behemoth every time he stepped foot on that hardwood. There was no stopping the four-time champion as he etched his name in the history books through his dominance. He demolished everything and everyone in his path in order to accomplish his long-held quest for greatness.

His ascent to the pinnacle though was never easy. Shaq had to transcend from obscurity to become the success story he is today. He is a fine embodiment of how to convert a challenging past into a brighter future. His beginnings were humble, as was his attitude since the outset. Shaq is vocal about his greatness on the court, and rightly so, but he has always acknowledged where he stands among the other NBA greats.

Shaq cited an example of this on an episode of Knuckleheads by The Player’s Tribune. He highlighted a point in high school when he gunned down all the comparisons made to Michael Jordan.

“I don’t like people telling me stuff that sounded too good, ’cause I have never heard that before,” he said. “Breaking a sophomore, I wasn’t that good right…junior year, okay…senior year, now I’m starting to make name for myself. So now they was treating me like Jordan. I was like, ‘I’m good but I’m not that good yet.'” 

Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan squared off several times when the former was still forging his dominance while the latter had already conquered the league.

In the 1995 Eastern Conference playoffs, Shaq’s Orlando Magic overcame Jordan’s Chicago Bulls 4-2. It was the year when His Airness made a sensational comeback to the NBA later in the regular season.

The next season, though, Jordan got the final chuckle when the Bulls trounced the Magic in the semi-finals en route to an NBA championship.

Shaquille O’Neal considers Michael Jordan the G.O.A.T

The NBA has produced some of the most skilled and athletic players in history. Michael Jordan is commonly regarded to be at the zenith of the NBA’s hierarchical ladder. Shaquille O’Neal feels the same and has voiced his opinion about Jordan being the greatest to ever step foot on the court.

“Sensitive” Shaquille O’Neal Once Dropped 60 Points on His Birthday Just to Prove Himself to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

In fact, Shaq claimed that if prime Jordan laced his basketball shoes in the modern NBA, he would average 45 PPG. Jordan’s scoring prowess is permanently imprinted in NBA history. At 30.12, Jordan holds the NBA record for the highest career points average. He also took home the scoring title 10 times, which highlights his unmatched ability to put points on the board.

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It’s safe to conclude that Jordan would have been a menace even in today’s NBA. We are witnessing an era where athletes work exceptionally hard to perfect their skills, but Jordan was in a league of his own during his heyday.

WATCH THIS STORY: The 10 NBA Players Who Scored The Most Points In The 2000s: Kobe Bryant Was The Only One With Over 20K Points

His influence on the game is unparalleled, and he epitomizes a winning mentality and fierce competitive drive. That’s what Shaq believes, and it’s what the Jumpman’s legendary legacy continues to define even now.