I hope Shaq sees what KG and Duncan are doing right now...

[ConanRulesNBC]

and wishes he wasn't so lazy. If he would have stayed in shape he could still probably be dominating right now.

[Clippersfan86]

and wishes he wasn't so lazy. If he would have stayed in shape he could still probably be dominating right now.

Shaq has always dominated with strength and athleticism.... KG and Duncan have skilled based games so not sure what comparison you're trying to make. Players like KG/Duncan will always age better.

[Heavincent]

Shaq was drafted in 92 and is 40 years old. Duncan was drafted in 97 and is 36 years old. KG was drafted on 95 and is 36 years old. So how did you come to this conclusion?

[ConanRulesNBC]

Shaq was drafted in 92 and is 40 years old. Duncan was drafted in 97 and is 36 years old. KG was drafted on 95 and is 36 years old. So how did you come to this conclusion?

Uh... he's only 4 years older than both of them. It's not like he's 50. If he wasn't so fat and lazy he could still probably be in the league and averaging at least 15/10.

Do you have to be such a giant douche in every post I make?

[imnew09]

and wishes he wasn't so lazy. If he would have stayed in shape he could still probably be dominating right now.

I hope you see what Shaq is doing and wish you're getting paid like him.

[Bandito]

I saw Shaq a couple of months ago and trust me he's not fat for his height. In fact he was huge (as in muscle huge) and considering he was even bigger when he was in the NBA I can see why he was always injured. He should've gone the way of KG and Duncan and just stop lifting weights.

[L.Kizzle]

Uh... he's only 4 years older than both of them. It's not like he's 50. If he wasn't so fat and lazy he could still probably be in the league and averaging at least 15/10.

Do you have to be such a giant douche in every post I make?
4 years is a lot. And he might not be 50, but he is 40. How many players have played past 40? Kareem, Malone, Stockton, Jordan, Kevin Willis, that's it.

You do know no one from the 1992 draft is still playing, no one from the 93 draft either. Hill and Kidd are the on;y players left from the 94 draft. Stackhouse, Wallace, Garnett and Thomas left from the 95 draft.

[ConanRulesNBC]

Okay what about when he was lazy in his mid 30's? What's the excuse then? If he wasn't so lazy he might have been putting up 20/10 at age 36.

[IGotACoolStory]

That's not the premise of your thread. Don't change the subject.

[bstickq1]

Shaq averaged 18 and 8 on 61% shooting at 37.

[ConanRulesNBC]

Shaq averaged 18 and 8 on 61% shooting at 37.

and that was with being over weight. Imagine if he had actually stayed in shape in the later half of his career what he could have been doing.

I think Shaq, at 40, if he was still in shape right now could easily be putting up 15/10.

[Artillery]

36 yr old Shaq actually had better numbers than what Garnett is putting up now. 36 yr old Duncan's still ahead of both though.


http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/6905/duncangarnettshaq36.jpg

[Legends66NBA7]

Shaq played 19 seasons and had a longer prime than both Duncan and Garnett.

:confusedshrug:

[ConanRulesNBC]

That's what I mean. And that was fat/lazy Shaq still capable of putting up those numbers. If he was in shape he could have easily still been carrying teams to a championship and averaging more than 20 PPG.

[miller-time]

Shaq played 19 seasons and had a longer prime than both Duncan and Garnett.

:confusedshrug:

Also 4 rings. His career is nothing to sneer at.

[kNicKz]

Shaq played until he was 38, that's not bad at all

[ConanRulesNBC]

Also 4 rings. His career is nothing to sneer at.

I agree. But he could have realistically retired with 6 or 7 rings if he really stayed motivated.

[Artillery]

That's what I mean. And that was fat/lazy Shaq still capable of putting up those numbers. If he was in shape he could have easily still been carrying teams to a championship and averaging more than 20 PPG.

It should also be noted that Shaq was playing with Nash and the Suns that season which helped rejuvenate his game somewhat after the last two disappointing seasons in Miami.

[kNicKz]

I agree. But he could have realistically retired with 6 or 7 rings if he really stayed motivated.

you don't know that. he had problems with arthritis which effected him even in his laker days

[SCdac]

Shaq's longevity is overrated. The guy clearly milked his career as much as he could. His days in Boston were laughable. 36 year old Shaq was also playing with Nash, Amare, Hill, Bell, etc.. and then Shaq played with Lebron... Tim Duncan and KG would be pretty sick with those teammates.

[plowking]

OP is one of the most unintelligent people on this board, if not the most. I've never seen him make a decent thread.

[Sharmer]

Shaq hurt is achilles, and was going to take over 1 year to recovery, especially at 300 pounds, so he retired.

[Myth]

Also 4 rings. His career is nothing to sneer at.

This. Shaq likely monitors what Duncan is doing, but KG has nothing on Shaq's career, so I doubt he worries about him.

[rodman91]

Shaq was still good at old age. He wasn't first option like KG & Duncan though. This is what happens if you sign up with every team available.

If KG & Duncan would went other teams they wouldn't average these numbers.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

OP is one of the most unintelligent people on this board, if not the most. I've never seen him make a decent thread.

Wow, you're not a douche or anything. :oldlol:

[tomtucker]

Shaq hurt is achilles, and was going to take over 1 year to recovery, especially at 300 pounds, so he retired.

he also had problems with a toe, right ?

[Wonder Bread Kid]

Why is OP acting like size wasn't a big part of Shaq's success? He want scoring by using foot work of shooting from 15-18 ft away. He used his sheer size and strength to back players down, to move them, to take up space.

What would losing weight or muscle accomplish for his game?

OP just proving himself to be a moron.

[Kblaze8855]

he played a lot longer and at a much higher level than most people expected. plenty of people no one ever expected more from work ethic wise were not good players at nearly the age he was.

[LJJ]

Old Shaq could have been better if he had better work ethic and more passion for the game.

But that goes for prime Shaq as well really.

[macpierce]

if shaq stayed at his orlando weight then his body wouldn't of had to carry so much weight, but then again that weight allowed him to destroy opponents. However, shaq was useless out side of the paint.

[Go Getter]

Shaq is one of the best centers ever. He played the game like no one else....no one got beat up and hacked like he did.


And we have a lazy, fat, half crazy poster dissing him when he couldn't even make his 6th grade team, smh.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Shaq is one of the best centers ever. He played the game like no one else....no one got beat up and hacked like he did.


And we have a lazy, fat, half crazy poster dissing him when he couldn't even make his 6th grade team, smh.

That's half of ISH in a nutshell, my dude. :oldlol:

[SCdac]

Shaq pretty much became a TV announcer within hours of retiring :oldlol:

He should have called it quits a couple of seasons - and teams - before he did.

[swi7ch]

Uh... he's only 4 years older than both of them.
HUGE difference in the basketball world! That's 328 more games not including preseason and postseason!

[ConanRulesNBC]

Yes, Shaq's size helped him to dominate. But if he could have developed more skill like Duncan and KG along with staying in shape so he could play more (I mean the guy sat out A LOT during the regular season in the later half of his career) he could have been even better.

I'm not saying he sucked. He retired with 4 championships and was the most physically dominating center in the history of the NBA. But I just wonder if he had a better work ethic how much better he could have been.

[ConanRulesNBC]

Shaq is one of the best centers ever. He played the game like no one else....no one got beat up and hacked like he did.


And we have a lazy, fat, half crazy poster dissing him when he couldn't even make his 6th grade team, smh.

:roll:

This coming from a guy who defended Eddy Curry as if he wasn't the laziest, fattest NBA player ever.

F*ck off dude. Seriously.

[CeltsGarlic]

36 yr old Shaq actually had better numbers than what Garnett is putting up now. 36 yr old Duncan's still ahead of both though.



No their not. KG have the best FT %

[ConanRulesNBC]

I love how Shaq retires and now everyone defends him like he was so perfect. Come on, after he won that last championship in Miami he became fat and lazy. Actually he was fat and lazy after he won his first championship in LA but managed to win two more and then became so fat and lazy he couldn't win another one in LA. He only got motivated again for two more seasons in Miami and could only win one more championship.

Come on. Enough defending him already. The guy was a lazy fat f*ck in the later half of his career and if he had the work ethic of Duncan and KG he could have been so much better.

[ConanRulesNBC]

OP is one of the most unintelligent people on this board, if not the most. I've never seen him make a decent thread.

I don't even know what threads you've made. But you sound like a major douchebag so I don't really give a shit.

[DMV2]

and that was with being over weight. Imagine if he had actually stayed in shape in the later half of his career what he could have been doing.

I think Shaq, at 40, if he was still in shape right now could easily be putting up 15/10.
What about the pounding he took through out his career in the paint? Yes, he was lazy but you gotta factor in his style of play. His weight and size.

Yao, who isn't fat and was a hardworker, couldn't even play pass the age of 30 because he couldn't get his left foot fixed.

For Shaq for to play nearly 20 seasons is quite remarkable. At 36, his 2008-09 season in Phoenix looked impressive. 75 games, 17.8PPG, 8.4 RPG, 60%FG
10 games above .500 but missed the playoffs b/c of the stacked WC.

[SCdac]

The only thing remarkable is that he played for 6 different teams and tried to piggy back his way to championships. His legacy didn't even need that. People who are impressed by how many seasons he played should seriously go back and watch him in the last 2-3 years. Just because he was on the court doesn't mean he should have been or was helping in any serious way.

[The Macho Man]

The bigger problem is that he is borderline retarded

[DMV2]

The only thing remarkable is that he played for 6 different teams and tried to piggy back his way to championships. His legacy didn't even need that. People who are impressed by how many seasons he played should seriously go back and watch him in the last 2-3 years. Just because he was on the court doesn't mean he should have been or was helping in any serious way.
He played well during the 2010 Playoffs for the Cavs, especially against the Celtics. He was their only consistent player outside of LeBron in that series.

[SCdac]

He played well during the 2010 Playoffs for the Cavs, especially against the Celtics. He was their only consistent player outside of LeBron in that series.

13 and 5 with nearly 4 fouls and 2 turnovers a game... clearly he was just a shell of himself. Personally I think he should have retired after that season or the season before. His longevity had nothing to do with him still be a winning piece or serviceable big, and everything to do with his humongous ego. I don't think he needed to play until his wheels fell off.

[DMV2]

13 and 5 with nearly 4 fouls and 2 turnovers a game... clearly he was just a shell of himself. Personally I think he should have retired after that season or the season before. His longevity had nothing to do with him still be a winning piece or serviceable big, and everything to do with his humongous ego. I don't think he needed to play until his wheels fell off.
13-5 on 23.5 MPG was more than what most people expected out of him. Personal fouls don't mean a thing in a playoff series like that(against the Celtics style). He only had 10 TO's in 6 games; 1.6 average, not 2.

Everybody knew he couldn't play night in, night out 82+ games a season but he was still valuable for the playoffs. As bad as he looked, he was probably still better than half of the starting centers in the league during his final 2-3 seasons.

[SCdac]

Everybody knew he couldn't play night in, night out 82+ games a season but he was still valuable for the playoffs. As bad as he looked, he was probably still better than half of the starting centers in the league during his final 2-3 seasons.

Exactly. Just taking a roster spot from somebody else basically.

And him being better than other big man says more about the league than it does about him.

His value was debatable IMO. 2 second round exits, 1 first round exit, and a missed playoffs in his last 4 seasons.... Lots of missed games.

He was a walking injury and out of shape player in the past couple seasons.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i8IBcIRHYlI/Tlgls3_tVPI/AAAAAAAAEWI/riuVPrFSC7g/s1600/shaq-is-fat.jpg

[Dictator]

I've seen shaq in person. You would think he is fat but he's slim and built.

Shaq is in shape, he looks fatter because of his huge frame.

[ConanRulesNBC]

I've seen shaq in person. You would think he is fat but he's slim and built.

Shaq is in shape, he looks fatter because of his huge frame.

Not fat:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12R2B7UeLwk/T76bCuq1XbI/AAAAAAAAAbI/zajvdhhXcFI/s1600/bos_g_shaq92_200[1].jpg

Fat:

http://blogimages.thescore.com/tbj/files/2011/09/shaq-dwight-howard.jpg

[ZaaaaaH]

and wishes he wasn't so lazy. If he would have stayed in shape he could still probably be dominating right now.


Yes I understand What you are saying but I just wanna know what ur mom is feeding you. :confusedshrug:

[DMV2]

Exactly. Just taking a roster spot from somebody else basically.

And him being better than other big man says more about the league than it does about him.

His value was debatable IMO. 2 second round exits, 1 first round exit, and a missed playoffs in his last 4 seasons.... Lots of missed games.

He was a walking injury and out of shape player in the past couple seasons.

Those two sentences contradicts your statement, don't they? He didn't take anybody's spot, the 10th-12th men barely get any burn at all.

The season his team missed the playoffs had a 46-36 record, and he played 75 games that season. Says more about the stacked WC than his play or his team.

[SCdac]

Those two sentences contradicts your statement, don't they? He didn't take anybody's spot, the 10th-12th men barely get any burn at all.

The season his team missed the playoffs had a 46-36 record, and he played 75 games that season. Says more about the stacked WC than his play or his team.

Him getting owned by Duncan the season prior - who was the player Shaq was primarily brought into Phoenix for - didn't exactly help his cause either. Not to mention him having a falling out with nearly every franchise. The point is, his mere presence on these teams was fools gold and he was just grasping for another ring. Yes, he's a huge 7 footer who's going to make more than half his shots and clog the paint... but clearly he was done as a serious contributor over the course of a season... And there's nothing wrong with that... but why keep going?... As a Spurs fan, I hope Duncan retires before he becomes 9 PPG kind of player like Shaq was.

[Dictator]

Not fat:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-12R2B7UeLwk/T76bCuq1XbI/AAAAAAAAAbI/zajvdhhXcFI/s1600/bos_g_shaq92_200[1].jpg

Fat:

http://blogimages.thescore.com/tbj/files/2011/09/shaq-dwight-howard.jpg

You just gotta see him in person. He doesn't look that fat in person because he's 7'1 and towering over everyone. He's looks big but not particularly fat.

[DMV2]

Him getting owned by Duncan the season prior - who was the player Shaq was primarily brought into Phoenix for - didn't exactly help his cause either. Not to mention him having a falling out with nearly every franchise. The point is, his mere presence on these teams was fools gold and he was just grasping for another ring. Yes, he's a huge 7 footer who's going to make more than half his shots and clog the paint... but clearly he was done as a serious contributor over the course of a season... And there's nothing wrong with that... but why keep going?... As a Spurs fan, I hope Duncan retires before he becomes 9 PPG kind of player like Shaq was.
Why keep going? He's an athlete, one of the greats in his sport. Athletes of his caliber always want to prove everybody wrong. They're willing to play until their body can't anymore.

He also clearly stated that he wanted another ring. To me, that's a lot more respectable than somebody wanting to keep going for a record or stats.

Hell...Sheed, one of the laziest NBA player we've seen in the past 20 years, just came out of retirement. And he wasn't even nearly the competitor Shaq was. Sheed prob came back b/c A) prove he still got it, B) get a 2nd ring, C) help NYC gets its first NBA title in 30 years, D) all of the above.

[Artillery]

No their not. KG have the best FT %

Irrelevant. Shaq has always been a bad FT shooter so why's it worth bringing up? And KG's FT% this year is .1% better than TD's. Do you realize how miniscule that is?

[Micku]

The only thing remarkable is that he played for 6 different teams and tried to piggy back his way to championships. His legacy didn't even need that. People who are impressed by how many seasons he played should seriously go back and watch him in the last 2-3 years. Just because he was on the court doesn't mean he should have been or was helping in any serious way.

I think he helped out the Celtics while he was on the floor. Him and KG fit perfectly and would've been great if that Celtics team could've remained healthy. He was bad with the PnRs, but he always was a bit bad at it.

He wasn't that bad in Cleveland either, but I think he fit more with the Celts. I think there were more problems with the Cavs than it were with the Celts because of him clogging the lane. However when they require Antawn Jamison, that's when their defense started to be not as stellar.

And at their respected stage of their careers with KG, Duncan, and Shaq. Shaq was an all-star and was the top 3 center in the league. Howard and Yao would was over him. He even made the all nba 3rd team. If he was in today's league, he would still be a top 2-3 center in the league.

[ShaqAttack3234]

I wish Shaq had finished his career in Miami. Not only would it seem far more "right" for a player of Shaq's caliber to play for only 3 teams as opposed to 6, but I'm sure he'd end up with his jersey retired for 2 teams as opposed to 1, and every team he would have played with would have been one he had a significant impact. He played well in Phoenix, but he just wasn't a natural fit there, and he wasn't much of a difference maker either way in Cleveland, except when facing a big man like Dwight. I did think he was a good fit in Boston, but his body broke down. However, Miami was a team he should have played out his contract with and retired in 2010. He fit well with a slower team like that and was a proven fit with Wade. They could have still made some noise in the East and would have been a tough out. Shaq in '09 form playing with '09 Wade would have been cool.

But I think he also should have tried staying at 325-330 which he was his last year in Miami. He didn't need to be that light in the past, he had played at 340 when he toyed with the league in 2000, but it was the right way to extend his career, imo. Shaq lost a step around that time, and the loss of mobility showed, both defensively, and even offensively where he started picking up more offensive fouls. He wasn't going to be as mobile as prime Shaq in his mid 30's, but he may have been less foul prone and more effective defensively. Duncan's weight loss has probably fueled much of his resurgence.

With that being said, it's not so simple. That first year in Miami was the only time in his career except for the Boston year when he missed playoff games, so he was still banged up at the lighter weight, and at the worst time.

Some of these comments are absolutely laughable, though. Shaq putting up 15/10 now? He'd be 41 this season and in his 21st season. Anyone putting up 15/10 at that age is unreasonable, much less a guy like Shaq who was already over 300 pounds when he was drafted at 20 years old. That's what makes the comparison to Duncan and Garnett laughable, as well as the fact that the 4 year difference is very significant at this point. I doubt KG and Duncan will be playing, or playing at a high level in 4 years.

The decline can come very quickly at that age in such a young man's game. Even Kareem fell off rapidly once he hit 40, and he had been one of the best players in the league, a first option on a championship team and Finals MVP at 38. The following year, he was still in that role on a 62 win contending team, but 2 years later in '88, he's now a 4th option averaging 15/6, 53%, which is solid, but far from where he had been just 2 years earlier, and a playoff run of 14 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 46%, with the decline being more obvious on the defensive end. Which is also what happened to Shaq in his mid/late 30's.

The point is, even Kareem couldn't put up 15/10 at 40/41 in his 19th season, what makes you think Shaq could do it in his 21st season? Kareem is the standard for longevity along with Karl Malone, so to expect Shaq's longevity to rival the greatest ever is a bad joke. At Shaq's size, he was lucky to even have a prime, just ask Oden, Yao, and it's looking likely that Bynum will join that list. Not to mention guys like Walton, Sampson, Bowie and Daugherty.

As far as Shaq's longevity being overrated? Huh? Most don't talk about Shaq's longevity, and when they do, it's usually negatively. His longevity is underrated actually, and compares to the vast majority of NBA players we've seen. He was an elite player through his 13th season, and pretty much one from the start when he averaged 23/14, 3.5 bpg, 56% as a rookie. Certainly a top 5 player 12 consecutive seasons from '94-'05, and a 20/9/2/2, 60% guy on a championship team in his 14th year. Not to mention an all-star averaging 18/8 on 61% as a 37 year old in his 17th year still capable of huge games like his 45 point game that year. That stacks up well against Hakeem, Ewing and Robinson.

As for the comment about what Duncan and KG would do with Shaq's Phoenix teammates? Yeah, neither of them have good teammates. :rolleyes: The Spurs have only been arguably the deepest team for the past 3 years or so, and Garnett has been playing with multiple all-stars including 2011 when he was one of 4 all-stars. These teams are actually built a lot better than the 2009 Suns, and unlike that team didn't have a guy like Amare done for the season, and great coaching. Anyone want to compare Terry Porter to Pop or Doc? Didn't think so.

Not to take anything away from these guys, I'm thrilled to have both playing at a high level, particularly Duncan who has been essential to the Spurs 18-4 record. And it is clear both have a better attitude than Shaq did, and made smart choices by sticking with teams they're a key part of.