NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal Reveals His Top-5 Duos of the League

Published 10/31/2020, 5:00 PM EDT

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the greatest NBA players in history. O’Neal is a primordial center in the game. He was over 300 pounds and 7’1″ but moved faster than anyone his size. Shaq’ was drafted #1 overall by the Orlando Magic. During his time with the Magic, he formed a renowned partnership with point-guard Penny Hardaway. The two led the Magic to a shocking series victory over the seemingly unbeatable Chicago Bulls.

After four years in Orlando, O’Neal went to the Los Angeles Lakers. It was in LA that he formed a new partnership with then-newcomer Kobe Bryant. With the arrival of legendary Bulls coach Phil Jackson, he and Bryant went on to three consecutive NBA Championships. He even won an MVP and three Finals MVP in the Lakers championship years. But clashes with Bryant and O’Neal became apparent, and their chemistry diminished.

Shaquille O’Neal – Top 5 Duos

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The off-the-court problems with O’Neal and Bryant led to the former demanding a trade from the Lakers. He then signed with the Miami Heat. In Miami, he formed the third formidable partnership of his NBA career with Heat player Dwyane Wade.

The two led the Heat to an NBA Championship in 2006, O’Neal’s fourth of his career. After his time with the Heat, Shaq became a journeyman in the league, bouncing from franchises such as the Suns, Cavs, and Celtics. He even formed a short partnership with LeBron James in his last year, although Shaq’s athleticism had dwindled significantly by then.

Shaquille O’Neal spoke to Dorell Wright of the Players Tribune for an interview. When asked about his top-5 duos in NBA history, Shaq gave his list. One inclusion on the list is somewhat confusing, although could be chalked up to bias. The list went:

Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal
Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen
Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade
Penny Hardaway and Shaquille O’Neal

The inclusion of Hardaway and O’Neal is notable, especially given that they’re the only pair not to win an NBA Championship on the list. But given O’Neal’s credibility and playing stature, he’s allowed to be biased in his selection.

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Aaditya Krishnamurthy is an NBA & NFL journalist for EssentiallySports, before which he worked at BusinessWorld magazine. He has been a fan of Basketball for over 10 years now, since Shaquille O’Neal was a Phoenix Suns player. During his time at Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts, he started a sports magazine for the college called the Overtime Tribune and hosted the Overtime Tribune Podcast until he graduated.

NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal Reveals His Top-5 Duos of the League

Shaquille O’Neal – Top 5 Duos

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