If Shaq was in the 2003 draft, who's the #1 pick? Him or Lebron?

[Tarik One]

Who would the Cavaliers have selected?

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Shaq by far. He was a monster @ LSU. Without knowing how their NBA careers go Shaq or KAJ would easily be selected out of everybody else. Maybe Walton in there too

[orange_chicken]

I'm going with Shaq. With Shaq you only need a Kobe or Wade to win a ring. With Lebron you would need at least a Wade & Bosh to win a ring.


Who would the Cavaliers have selected?

[moe94]

Shaq and it's not even close.

[JohnFreeman]

Can't teach tall

[Smook A.]

Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal

[MichaelCorleone]

Lebron James.

You take the guy who had the potential to be GOAT even as a rookie over the center who only had potential to be top 10.

[Mr. Jabbar]

Lebron James.

corleone at it again :facepalm

[oh the horror]

Lebron James.

You take the guy who had the potential to be GOAT even as a rookie over the center who only had potential to be top 10.



So basically you come on, post BS and then will get banned.


Good story.

[miles berg]

Shaq. Duh.

[Lebron23]

Same reason why Hakeem was drafted over MJ in 1984. Talented big men over talented wing player. Shaq was the best player in College.

[Jameerthefear]

Shaq

[kurt_rambis]

Same reason why Hakeem was drafted over MJ in 1984. Talented big men over talented wing player. Shaq was the best player in College.
sam fcking bowie was taken over jordan, to further illustrate your point

shaq would've been taken over every other number 1 pick since kareem, so it's not really a knock on lebron

[Audio One]

James is getting a raw deal ITT. I hope everyone here choosing Shaquille, would also do the same if Earvin and Shaquille were in the same draft

[Jameerthefear]

James is getting a raw deal ITT. I hope everyone here choosing Shaquille, would also do the same if Earvin and Shaquille were in the same draft
what?

[PleezeBelieve]

Shaq... very easy call

[Fowl]

Cleveland has the pick, they pick the hometown boy... and LeBron still ends up leaving them.

Any other team drafts Shaq.

[Vienceslav]

More importantly, when wouldn't Shaq be the #1 pick?
I think he's the #1 pick if you have an all time draft and you have no benefit of hindsight.

[MichaelCorleone]

People acting like it ain't close.:oldlol: :facepalm

It's VERY VERY close, almost a dilemma. But I'll give Lebron the edge, go look up his high school stats.

[plowking]

Lebron would get picked by Cleveland. Every other team would choose Shaq.

[MichaelCorleone]

More importantly, when wouldn't Shaq be the #1 pick?
I think he's the #1 pick if you have an all time draft and you have no benefit of hindsight.
All-time draft will go like this:

1. Lebron
2. Shaq
3. MJ
4. Bird
5. Hakeem

[kurt_rambis]

More importantly, when wouldn't Shaq be the #1 pick?
I think he's the #1 pick if you have an all time draft and you have no benefit of hindsight.
kareem would probably get picked ahead of shaq....maaaaybe david robinson, but only because the spurs were so hot for him

[Vienceslav]

All-time draft will go like this:

1. Lebron
2. Shaq
3. MJ
4. Bird
5. Hakeem
No, it will go
1.Shaq
2.Wilt
3.Kareem
4.Hakeem
.
.

[MichaelCorleone]

No, it will go
1.Shaq
2.Wilt
3.Kareem
4.Hakeem
.
.
Wilt and Kareem has NO BUSINESS being drafted over Lebron or MJ.:facepalm

Hakeem maybe.

[iamgine]

Who would the Cavaliers have selected?

With hindsight: Shaq.
Without hindsight: Shaq.
So Lebron.

[Jameerthefear]

omg why can't this dude be perma'd. i can't avoid his shit either. there isn't like some perma ignore list so i don't have to see anything he posts ever again.

[plowking]

Wilt and Kareem has NO BUSINESS being drafted over Lebron or MJ.:facepalm

Hakeem maybe.

Yeah they do. They're both probably better players at their best compared to MJ and Bron.

[MichaelCorleone]

Yeah they do. They're both probably better players at their best compared to MJ and Bron.
Wilt and Kareem both lost FMVPs to some other players while Lebron and MJ were FMVPs for all their rings.

[fpliii]

Wilt and Kareem both lost FMVPs to some other players while Lebron and MJ were FMVPs for all their rings.
FMVP wasn't around in 67, but Wilt probably wins if it is:

http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1967_finals.html

True about Kareem, but he was robbed in 1980:

http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?t=301909

Magic should've won over Worthy in 88, though.

To be fair, if Miami wins in 11 Wade gets FMVP.

[MichaelCorleone]

To be fair, if Miami wins in 11 Wade gets FMVP.
Ok that I agree with. But they lost the series, so too bad for Wade.

But back to topic, only players I would draft over Lebron are MJ or Hakeem.

[fpliii]

Ok that I agree with. But they lost the series, so too bad for Wade.

But back to topic, only players I would draft over Lebron are MJ or Hakeem.
How far down do you have Duncan?

[MichaelCorleone]

How far down do you have Duncan?
Lebron/MJ/Hakeem

Duncan/Shaq/Bird/Magic/Russell

Kareem/Wilt

These are the tiers.

[Cold soul]

Easily Shaq and it's not even close.

[fpliii]

Lebron/MJ/Hakeem

Duncan/Shaq/Bird/Magic/Russell

Kareem/Wilt

These are the tiers.
:cheers:

I'm not sure what mine would be TBH.

[MichaelCorleone]

:cheers:

I'm not sure what mine would be TBH.
But my top 10 ranking is different from how I would draft these greats of course.

However, I feel that Wilt and Kareem are VASTLY overrated by many people.

[fpliii]

But my top 10 ranking is different from how I would draft these greats of course.

However, I feel that Wilt and Kareem are VASTLY overrated by many people.
I change my views on players all the time. I don't have a GOAT list but there's a lot that one has to take into account when doing these types of evaluations.

[Vienceslav]

But my top 10 ranking is different from how I would draft these greats of course.

However, I feel that Wilt and Kareem are VASTLY overrated by many people.
You draft prospects not legacies Mikey.

[MichaelCorleone]

You draft prospects not legacies Mikey.
That's why MJ, Lebron and Hakeem comes first 3 for me.

Then Duncan, Shaq, Magic, Bird and Russell.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

All time draft, trying not to use hindsight? Basically based off college careers, measurables, predraft hype, and hypothetically compare them from different eras...

Probably something like
Kareem
Shaq
Walton
Wilt
Hakeem
Duncan
Ewing

Pretty sure KAJ goes #1, tho.

[The Iron Fist]

Alonzo Mourning would have been drafted over bran.

[MichaelCorleone]

Alonzo Mourning would have been drafted over bran.
:lol

[Nick Young]

Shaq all day

[bdreason]

Pretty sure LeBron had more hype coming out of HS than anyone I can remember. They were showing his HS games on ESPN. It probably depends on the team, but my guess is that LeBron would have been drafted over Shaq.

[WillyJakk]

Cleveland woulda drafted LeBron cause of the Akron connection and regretted it once Shaq came to town and broke down the basket and support.

Ultimately they would be screwed either way because both players would leave the Cavs anyway, Shaq in 5 yrs, LeBron in 7yrs so this question ends with a losing outcome.

The question then becomes would Shaq have won a ring in Cleveland with the cast LeBron played with before leaving?

[pauk]

Generally you go with such big guy behemoths over perimeter players, its a safer bet... but that Lebron guy was special, unlike Kobe or even Jordan at 17-18 what he was gona be in the NBA was much more inevitable / easy to predict, he was perfectly NBA ready & better than any perimeter player at that age and just unique.... all that hype aswell... so i dont know....


Cleveland woulda drafted LeBron cause of the Akron connection and regretted it once Shaq came to town and broke down the basket and support.

Ultimately they would be screwed either way because both players would leave the Cavs anyway, Shaq in 5 yrs, LeBron in 7yrs so this question ends with a losing outcome.

The question then becomes would Shaq have won a ring in Cleveland with the cast LeBron played with before leaving?

If he couldnt win it with Penny, 3D, Nick, Grant etc. then i doubt he would do any better having Boobie, Mo, Hughes around him instead.

You could also ask, would Lebron have won a ring in Orlando with the cast Shaq played with before leaving? :)

[jdm_dc_fan]

Anthony bennet

[WillyJakk]

Forgot Cavs had Big Z already at C so the answer is LeBron.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2004.html

/ thread

[oh the horror]

Forgot Cavs had Big Z already at C so the answer is LeBron.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2004.html

/ thread



Well goodness! Big Z! Forget all that Shaq talk then!

[Audio One]

what?

I'm sayin': If people here are so quick 2 choose the big fella, than I'd have 2 think they'd choose Shaquille over Earvin Johnson as well (which I wouldn't personally do)

[ILLsmak]

With hindsight: Shaq.
Without hindsight: Shaq.
So Lebron.

haha

Edit: I wonder if dudes think LeBron is a better impact player than Shaq even now... cuz I don't think he is.


-Smak

[Dresta]

Shaq would've been the consensus number 1. He was an absolute monster even as a rookie.

[LAZERUSS]

Much of this would depend on just what version of Shaq and what version of Lebron. If they are both coming out of High School, Lebron easily. A Shaq entering LSU was not even considered their best center.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1027838/3/index.htm




That he can't see the damage to this day is part of the mystery of Stanley Roberts. So is his blindness to how great a player he could've been. Dale Brown, who was the LSU coach during Roberts's and O'Neal's one season together, 1989-90, wasn't alone in considering Roberts the better pro prospect. When the 17-year-old O'Neal arrived in Baton Rouge in the summer of 1989 as the most hotly pursued recruit in the land, Brown told him he might get a chance to play as a freshman. After all, Roberts, a Proposition 48 sophomore heading into his first college season, had hammered Alonzo Mourning in the McDonald's High School All-American game in 1988 and had been just as coveted as O'Neal.

When the 19-year-old Roberts met O'Neal down on the LSU practice court known as the Dungeon to face off for the first time, people scrambled to drag in chairs. Might play? The first time O'Neal got the ball, he slammed right over Roberts, and Roberts returned the favor. The next four possessions went like that: Two 7-foot, 290-pound mastodons colliding, Boom! Six times up and down the floor, six straight dunks. Onlookers howled, and teammates jawed at Roberts, "This is your house! Your house!"

Then, abruptly, Roberts switched gears. He took the ball on the wing, and as Shaq stood in the lane, waiting, never thinking to go guard him, Roberts lofted an 18-footer over his head and in. O'Neal was frozen—and, worse, exposed. It hit Roberts at once: You can't come out. I got you. O'Neal's feet were still heavy, awkward, size 22 to Roberts's 16. His game was all height and force. Roberts rained jumpers over O'Neal, and the few times Shaq dared to step out, Roberts cut around him and dunked. On the other end Roberts learned quickly how to time Shaq's jump hook and slap it away, how to shiver Shaq with a forearm to the chest at the foul line and halt his momentum before he got into the lane, how to frustrate him until he lost focus.




BTW, both Wilt and KAJ were the two most heavily recruited high school players of all-time. And most here are probably not aware of the fact that Wilt was drafted while still in high school.

If there were some way to magically transform these greats back to the same year, and after graduating from high school...it would clearly be Wilt/KAJ battling for 1-2, and the rest miles behind.

[plowking]

Generally you go with such big guy behemoths over perimeter players, its a safer bet... but that Lebron guy was special, unlike Kobe or even Jordan at 17-18 what he was gona be in the NBA was much more inevitable / easy to predict, he was perfectly NBA ready & better than any perimeter player at that age and just unique.... all that hype aswell... so i dont know....



If he couldnt win it with Penny, 3D, Nick, Grant etc. then i doubt he would do any better having Boobie, Mo, Hughes around him instead.

You could also ask, would Lebron have won a ring in Orlando with the cast Shaq played with before leaving? :)

Jesus you're a bad poster... seriously.

[sbw19]

Shaq. Next.

[Sharmer]

Who would the Cavaliers have selected?


Shaq by an enormous margin.

[MichaelCorleone]

Had the Magic drafted Lebron in 1992, their organisation would have won at least 3 rings by now.

[Crafty]

Who would you choose instead of Shaq would be a better question. (Without knowing how their NBA careers go)

[Uncle Drew]

Shaq would get picked over anyone ever.

[MichaelCorleone]

Shaq would get picked over anyone ever.
Says the guy with the Duncan jersey in his avy.:facepalm

I would take MJ, Lebron, Hakeem and Duncan over Shaq.

[Uncle Drew]

Says the guy with the Duncan jersey in his avy.:facepalm

I would take MJ, Lebron, Hakeem and Duncan over Shaq.
You're crazy.

[MichaelCorleone]

You're crazy.
Thiink about not just stats or physicality. Mentally, a rookie Shaq is about as stupid and immature looking as Demarcus Cousins. Any GM with a brain would draft Duncan over Shaq, just due to basketball IQ difference.

[Uncle Drew]

Thiink about not just stats or physicality. Mentally, a rookie Shaq is about as stupid and immature looking as Demarcus Cousins. Any GM with a brain would draft Duncan over Shaq, just due to basketball IQ difference.
MDE.

[MichaelCorleone]

MDE.
This draft is without hindsight as to how their career will turn out, or how dominant they will be. Duncan is CLEARLY a more intelligent player than Shaq as a prospect.

Even with hindsight, Duncan is also more DOMINANT than Shaq at his peak.

[Uncle Drew]

This draft is without hindsight as to how their career will turn out, or how dominant they will be. Duncan is CLEARLY a more intelligent player than Shaq as a prospect.

Even with hindsight, Duncan is also more DOMINANT than Shaq at his peak.
:oldlol:

Just stop it.

[MichaelCorleone]

:oldlol:

Just stop it.
Yes he is, without doubt Tim Duncan was dominant, not flashy or pretty, but dominant.

Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward to play the game.

Shaq is one of the greatest centers to play the game.

[Uncle Drew]

Yes he is, without doubt Tim Duncan was dominant, not flashy or pretty, but dominant.

Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward to play the game.

Shaq is one of the greatest centers to play the game.
Your last two points aren't relevant at all. Peak Shaq was the greatest player EVER.

[MichaelCorleone]

Your last two points aren't relevant at all. Peak Shaq was the greatest player EVER.
No his peak was not the greatest ever, Michael's was.

Greatest Peak ever:

1. MJ
2. Bird
3. Duncan
4. Lebron
5. Shaq

[dr.hee]

Yes he is, without doubt Tim Duncan was dominant, not flashy or pretty, but dominant.

Tim Duncan is the greatest power forward to play the game.

Shaq is one of the greatest centers to play the game.

So why do you have "one of the greatest centers" at two, while having "the greatest power forward", who's also more dominant at his peak according to you, not even in the top 5?


All-time draft will go like this:

1. Lebron
2. Shaq
3. MJ
4. Bird
5. Hakeem

You're so full of shit :oldlol: Trolling can be entertaining, but why are it always simpletons like you?

[BoutPractice]

Shaq. He'd be top 3 in my all-time draft (assuming you have no hindsight, and their NBA career is a blank slate) along with Kareem and Wilt. Not sure about the order, but those three are leaps and bounds over anyone else as prospects.

Kevin Durant would be the number one non-big pick, then LeBron, then Magic. Dirk if you don't consider him as a big. But I'm not sure that any non-big would be in the top 10. Purely as prospects, you have to make room for Robinson, Hakeem, Sampson, Duncan, Russell, Ewing, KG etc. You know MJ's going to score a whole lot, but you don't know that he's not going to score 30 ppg on losing teams.

Height remains one of the biggest advantages in basketball. It's unfair but it's true. If you're in a position to make bets, a long player is a better bet than an equally skilled short one. Again, it's unfair but it's what you want... you want to draft unfair.

[HOoopCityJones]

Shaq.

[LAZERUSS]

If you were actually going to do some kind of all-time draft, and assuming all the players were being drafted at the same time, and to make it fair to everyone let's go with age 23...

what would an all-time draft look like with every great player coming into the NBA at age 23?

If you take a look at the level of play by each "GOAT" candidate at age 23 (and keep in that someone like Wilt was a rookie at that age, while James was in his fifth NBA season)...just how would an all-time draft go?

[MichaelCorleone]

If you were actually going to do some kind of all-time draft, and assuming all the players were being drafted at the same time, and to make it fair to everyone let's go with age 23...

what would an all-time draft look like with every great player coming into the NBA at age 23?

If you take a look at the level of play by each "GOAT" candidate at age 23 (and keep in that someone like Wilt was a rookie at that age, while James was in his fifth NBA season)...just how would an all-time draft go?
All-time draft will go like this (Wilt not even in top 5):

1. MJ
2. Lebron
3. Shaq
4. Bird
5. Hakeem
6. Duncan
7. Magic
8. Russell
9. Wilt
10. Kareem

[CrazyLond]

If you are putting Jordan on the list, you do not understand the question.

[LAZERUSS]

All-time draft will go like this (Wilt not even in top 5):

1. MJ
2. Lebron
3. Shaq
4. Bird
5. Hakeem
6. Duncan
7. Magic
8. Russell
9. Wilt
10. Kareem

At age 23 you honestly believe that Wilt and a PEAK Kareem would be 9-10 in a draft order?

You obviously have no clue...

I could come up with a better draft order by just picking them randomly from a hat.

[dr.hee]

I could come up with a better draft order by just picking them randomly from a hat.

Not necessarily though. There's also the possibility you'd pick the exact same order or switch up 1-8 with Kareem and Wilt still at the bottom. Or even worse...Kareem at 1 and Wilt at 10, most likely resulting in you writing a huge ass essay against yourself...

:kobe:

[Andrei89]

Shaq of course.

Shaq at his absolute peak was a monster. In my opinion, only Jordan had a better peak than Shaquille Oneal.

[LAZERUSS]

All-time draft will go like this (Wilt not even in top 5):

1. MJ
2. Lebron
3. Shaq
4. Bird
5. Hakeem
6. Duncan
7. Magic
8. Russell
9. Wilt
10. Kareem

Just using your "10" pick...

At age 23 he had just led the NBA in scoring at 31.7 ppg (and in 40 mpg), averaged 16.0 rpg, shot .577 from the field (in an NBA that had an eFG% of .449), and won a runaway MVP award (133 out of 153 votes), on a team that had gone 66-16. Then he won a FMVP while leading his team to a 12-2 playoff record, and a sweeping win in the Finals.

Yep,...only the 10th best player at age 23 of all-time...

:facepalm

[The JKidd Kid]

Is this even a real question?

[dr.hee]

JLauber turning this into a thread about Wilt. Now that's surprising :roll:

[raiderfan19]

To me the more interesting draft question isn't what happens if everyone's available at a certain age. It's what if everyone was magically in the same draft as exactly the same prospect they were at the time of the draft.

With no hindsight I think Kareem goes first. He's the greatest amateur basketball player ever and they had to change the rules to try to give other teams a chance. Everyone remembers the sky hook but he was so much more. He was around 7'3, incredibly mobile, with range and could finish with either hand(and was a decent enough ft shooter) 2nd is probably wilt. He was just scarily better than everyone else at the time. 3rd is IMO shaq. 4th is probably Ewing, everyone forgets that he would have gone ahead of Hakeem if he'd come out, 5 Hakeem, 6. Lebron, 7. Duncan 8. Mj

[LAZERUSS]

Is this even a real question?

Actually it is a ridiculous hypothetical.

In 2003 Shaq was 31 years old, and Lebron was 18. If Shaq had been put into the NBA draft at age 31, and even near his prime, how many GMs would have taken him over Lebron?

And, of course, as I brought up earlier in this topic, if both players were just coming out of high school,...Lebron would have been almost universally selected ahead of him. Shaq wasn't even considered LSU's best center going into his freshmen season.

[LAZERUSS]

To me the more interesting draft question isn't what happens if everyone's available at a certain age. It's what if everyone was magically in the same draft as exactly the same prospect they were at the time of the draft.

With no hindsight I think Kareem goes first. He's the greatest amateur basketball player ever and they had to change the rules to try to give other teams a chance. Everyone remembers the sky hook but he was so much more. He was around 7'3, incredibly mobile, with range and could finish with either hand(and was a decent enough ft shooter) 2nd is probably wilt. He was just scarily better than everyone else at the time. 3rd is IMO shaq. 4th is probably Ewing, everyone forgets that he would have gone ahead of Hakeem if he'd come out, 5 Hakeem, 6. Lebron, 7. Duncan 8. Mj

Finally...someone else who "gets it."

:applause: :applause: :applause:

[BoutPractice]

Regarding age, I assumed the age they actually entered the draft, I think many people did the same. So LeBron straight out of HS vs Shaq out of college, etc.

[LAZERUSS]

Regarding age, I assumed the age they actually entered the draft, I think many people did the same. So LeBron straight out of HS vs Shaq out of college, etc.

But clearly not a fair assessment.

NO ONE would have taken MJ directly out of High School in almost any hypothetical draft.

[BoutPractice]

Well, it's less about fairness and more about reducing the number of "what ifs", starting from the situation as it actually presented itself.

We can essentially assume this hypothetical draft is like a real draft, except all players in history declare... and they're going to declare at the point in their career where they actually decided to declare. That's the way it works in real drafts, after all. LeBron came out the same year as DWade, etc. LeBron was being compared to players from older HS classes.

And I agree that no one would have taken MJ out of high school.

[LAZERUSS]

Well, it's less about fairness and more about reducing the number of "what ifs", starting from the situation as it actually presented itself.

We can essentially assume this hypothetical draft is like a real draft, except all players in history declare... and they're going to declare at the point in their career where they actually decided to declare. That's the way it works in real drafts, after all. LeBron came out the same year as DWade, etc. LeBron was being compared to players from older HS classes.

And I agree that no one would have taken MJ out of high school.

I do believe that if Lebron and Shaq were the same age, that from ages 20-29, Shaq would have been taken ahead of Lebron in most "drafts."

That is probably the more realistic scenario in these discussions. At what ages would you take one GOAT over another GOAT, if they were somehow playing at the same time.

[LAZERUSS]

And of course the ultimate argument would be...

with a general draft...

and every player at their absolute peak...

what would the draft order look like?

[Derka]

If I'm the GM, Shaq and its a no-brainer.

[jlip]

Shaq easily. Even knowing how there careers have played out thus far, I'm still going with Shaq.

[StrongLurk]

A proven college monster named Shaquille O'Neal vs completely unproven hyped high school player? Yes, I am aware of the potential Lebron showed, but this is easily Shaq.

[Psileas]

Just using your "10" pick...

At age 23 he had just led the NBA in scoring at 31.7 ppg (and in 40 mpg), averaged 16.0 rpg, shot .577 from the field (in an NBA that had an eFG% of .449), and won a runaway MVP award (133 out of 153 votes), on a team that had gone 66-16. Then he won a FMVP while leading his team to a 12-2 playoff record, and a sweeping win in the Finals.

Yep,...only the 10th best player at age 23 of all-time...

:facepalm

Lol, just reverse that list and it gets more reasonable.

[LAZERUSS]

Lol, just reverse that list and it gets more reasonable.

Of course, I will be accused of derailing this topic, (but multiple "GOATS" were brought up long before I made my first post on it), but coming out of HS...

Clearly it would have been either KAJ or Wilt (and again, Chamberlain was drafted while STILL in HS), but after that it would get interesting...

Shaq wasn't even considered the best center at LSU when he arrived.

No one would have given MJ a second look.

Bill Russell wasn't highly regarded, and like MJ, was actually cut from his HS team (and almost cut twice.)

Hakeem had just barely learned the game, and in fact, when he arrived at the airport in Houston, no representative from the university even showed up, and was told to take a taxi to the school.

Bird dropped out of school in his freshman year.

Duncan was not widely recruited.

Who do you think?

Lebron, Moses, Oscar, Kobe, or Magic?

[NumberSix]

Shaq. Gotta take the big dude.

[ArbitraryWater]

One of those "who cares/doesnt matter" questions..

[The Iron Fist]

:lol
During his time at Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Virginia, he led the team to 51 straight victories and a state title his junior year (1987). As a senior he averaged 25 points, 15 rebounds and 12 blocked shots a game. He was named Player of the Year by USA Today, Parade, Gatorade, and Naismith. Mourning played college basketball for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He led the nation in blocked shots his freshman year and was an All-American his last year there.

Yes, Alonzo, who was drafted second after Shaq, would be picked before bran.

[CelticBaller]

One of those "who cares/doesnt matter" questions..
no, you pick shaq no matter what

[NumberSix]

no, you pick shaq no matter what
People always say this dumb shit about Jordan, but Shaq legitimately could average 40PPG and 15 Rpg in this era.

[moe94]

People always say this dumb shit about Jordan, but Shaq legitimately could average 40PPG and 15 Rpg in this era.

He's not going to randomly learn how to shoot freethrows, which was the thing stopping him from being a 35 PPG scorer.

[NumberSix]

He's not going to randomly learn how to shoot freethrows, which was the thing stopping him from being a 35 PPG scorer.
Doesn't matter. He'll be facing significantly worse centers.

[moe94]

Doesn't matter. He'll be facing significantly worse centers.

Yeah, Shaq was beasting on absolute HoF centers during his peak years.

[Prometheus]

Lebron James.

You take the guy who had the potential to be GOAT even as a rookie over the center who only had potential to be top 10.

I am a huge fan of LeBron James, and I'm here to tell you that you are a shitty poster. Good day :cheers:

[BoutPractice]

Yeah, Shaq was beasting on absolute HoF centers during his peak years.
This. Shaq is a good argument against people overestimating the impact of competition. He faced some of the best centers in history in the 90s, then a comparatively weaker pool... But the difference in production from him wasn't much, even though he supposedly reached his peak.

In fact the numbers are almost two perfect to be true. Shaq led the league in scoring twice, averaging 29.3 and 29.7 respectively. The first time was in 1994-1995, when Robinson was MVP and he was facing Hakeem in the Finals... the second time was in 1999-2000, where most of the competition at his spot had essentially disappeared or become a shell of their former selves save for Alonzo.

[SHAQisGOAT]

I'd go with the 7 footer, skilled, athletic freak.

[Y2ktors]

Shaq

[Le Shaqtus]

If you don't pick Shaq you don't know basketball.

[Lakers Legend#32]

Shaq

LeBron could never be the Diesel.

[ivienthol]

Shaq. In an all time draft, realistically, the top 10 would all be centers. Talented potential HOF big men are always going to be drafted before anyone smaller. They don't come around often. Especially a freak of nature like Shaq.

[secund2nun]

Tough one. I'll pick Shaq over any player in history including Lebron, but my answer could change depending on how the rest of Lebron's career goes as he is only 29. I feel Lebron will have excellent longevity, which could push it in Lebron's favor. With that said, Shaq could have had much better longevity (not that he had bad longevity) if he took care of his body better, so if he was drafted into the right situation he could have been whipped into shape and developed more of his unlimited potential.

[maybeshewill13]

Shaq. No questions asked.

[Foster5k]

Shaq is an extremely rare player. You take him without hesitation. We may never even see another player such as Shaq. A durable diesel truck that can over power the competition. Shaq was truly unstoppable.

However, you better hope and pray you can get an elite shooting guard. Otherwise, you might be screwed. :D

[finchyyy]

Shaq. If there was an all time draft on players, without knowing what they achieved in the NBA, Shaq would be drafted #1.

[GOBB]

Anyone who says Bron just gives up their credibility. Shaq is the only answer, unless you lack common sense.

[D-FENS]

Shaq by far. He was a monster @ LSU. Without knowing how their NBA careers go Shaq or KAJ would easily be selected out of everybody else. Maybe Walton in there too

Gotta throw Duncan and Ewing in there as well. The hype was huge on both. I was making Duncan on some NBA Live 96...

[La Frescobaldi]

Ok that I agree with. But they lost the series, so too bad for Wade.

But back to topic, only players I would draft over Lebron are MJ or Hakeem.

Reading your utter lunacy on this thread, I really really wish you would be the GM of the Boston Celtics for a thousand years.
They'd never make another playoff

[redboy]

all you had to do was look at the 2007 draft

[navy]

Shaq. However, Lebron was from Ohio and Cleveland is garbage at drafting so I can see why not.

[Audio One]

Much of this would depend on just what version of Shaq and what version of Lebron. If they are both coming out of High School, Lebron easily. A Shaq entering LSU was not even considered their best center.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1027838/3/index.htm




BTW, both Wilt and KAJ were the two most heavily recruited high school players of all-time. And most here are probably not aware of the fact that Wilt was drafted while still in high school.

If there were some way to magically transform these greats back to the same year, and after graduating from high school...it would clearly be Wilt/KAJ battling for 1-2, and the rest miles behind.

:applause: