Shaq’s got The Captain’s back. While the two didn’t have the best of relations for a long time, the respect O’Neal has for his senior is clear to see. The friction between Shaquille O’Neal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began in 1993, when Shaq, fresh in the league, starred in a Reebok commercial alongside Kareem, Bill Russell, and Wilt Chamberlain. However, Abdul-Jabbar, seemingly uninterested, left the set without speaking to the young O’Neal. Even after Shaq joined the Lakers in 1996, the two never forged a connection—until recently. Now, Shaq has come to Kareem’s defense in the GOAT debate, rallying behind the 6x NBA champ.

On a recent episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq, the conversation shifted into the GOAT debate, with guests Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson offering their takes. “Tim Duncan’s not mentioned at all…he’s definitely in mine,” Jackson noted. Meanwhile, Barnes chimed in, pointing out the varying perspectives. “I think the list varies from if you played or not.”

That’s when Shaq jumped in, saying, “Kareem’s name is never mentioned… nobody roots for Goliath, but Kareem needs to be in there—Kobe, Kareem, Russell, Wilt, Duncan.”

Interestingly, while the world thought they had a feud, Shaq and Kareem always had mutual respect. Last year, Kareem made a rare appearance on NBA on TNT, where he publicly apologized to Shaq. “You felt like I was ignoring you,” Kareem admitted. “That would never be the case.” It was a heartfelt moment that surprised many, especially when Kareem expressed his admiration for how Shaq dominated the league during his career.

Shaq also acknowledged Kareem’s influence. “You not speaking to me was the best thing to happen,” O’Neal said. “All I wanted to do was impress you.” Kareem responded with mutual love, saying, “I love you too… keep impressing the world with our game.” As Shaq feels Jabber is up there among the GOATS, who does the Big Aristotle actually call the GOAT?

Shaquille O’Neal chooses his GOAT

When LeBron James broke Lakers legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time NBA scoring record last year, it wasn’t just about the points. In the post-game interview on NBA on TNT, Shaquille O’Neal didn’t waste time putting the spotlight on something bigger: the GOAT debate. As they sat down, Shaq pressed LeBron to finally claim the title of the “G.O.A.T.” But LeBron wasn’t ready to crown himself just yet. Instead, he humbly said he was “happy to be up there with the greatest to ever play the game.”

Still, Shaq wasn’t letting him off that easily. “I want to hear you say it, Bron Bron,” he teased, nudging LeBron to own the moment. “Say it with your chest, Bron Bron!” Shaq laughed, trying to get LeBron to proudly take his place in the GOAT conversation.

Though hesitant, LeBron did acknowledge his confidence, saying, “Me personally, I’m going to take myself against anybody that’s ever played this game.” He admitted feeling like the best but was quick to respect other legends. “Everyone’s going to have their favorite… but I know what I bring to the table every night.”

However, O’Neal has since then stated that no one fears LeBron like they feared Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan. Knowing Shaq, he might change his stance on the GOAT debate again.