Forget MJ... this man would obliterate the league today

[andgar923]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2I5q-IEh7Kg

He was unstoppable back then with big men loading up on him in a crowded lane.

Imagine him today?

There would be nobody that could match up with him in any way shape or form with the 90s rules or style, let alone today's.

Giannis is nothing compared to this man.

They'd have to change the rules in order to stop him... wait.... they did that back then as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvGpXSApZT0

All yo lil punk ass 3pt shooting aint gonna stop him.

[Kblaze8855]

I tried to guess who that was about before clicking the link. I assumed it would be Barkley.

Shaq? He would be a bit different im sure. Be setting a lot more screens. Really effective ones im sure. Im talking Apocalypse from the 90s x-men cartoon "I am the rocks of the eternal shore. Crash against me and be broken" kinda screens.

Be interesting to see how he adjusted.

[andgar923]

I tried to guess who that was about before clicking the link. I assumed it would be Barkley.

Shaq? He would be a bit different im sure. Be setting a lot more screens. Really effective ones im sure. Im talking Apocalypse from the 90s x-men cartoon "I am the rocks of the eternal shore. Crash against me and be broken" kinda screens.

Be interesting to see how he adjusted.

I think he'd adjust fine. People forget how extremely quick he was, I don't think the videos I posted do him justice. We're in awe of how someone like Zion can be so explosive at his size but forget Shaq was bigger, meaner, more skilled and as explosive.

People his size are usually stumbling on their feet and losing control, can hardly move properly let alone lead fast breaks and crossover people.

It's ridiculous how we overlook the fact that he made double and triple teams look like they weren't there. He'd get trapped, spin, pump fake up and under and just break people's arms as he goes up for a dunk. Players always talked about how he'd hurt them as they tried to block/foul him.

This was when you could load up on players and play them physically.

With today's space?

He'd be crossing over people left and right, well.. he wouldn't even have to most of the time, he'd just plow his way through. Giannis is a more finesse player and he still bullies people. Imagine Shaq with an open lane surrounded by 3pt shooters and a defender that:

A. Is restricted by rules to be physical
B. Is afraid to get a foul called on him
C. Too small (how many people are physically as big as Shaq today?)
D. Afraid of getting ran over

And once Shaq gets position in the paint it's all over, you simply can't defend him, no chance. He was fouling out teams back then when you could be more physical, imagine today???

We often talk about how Reggie, Price and other past perimeter players would be better today. But imagine Shaq???

Like you mentioned, imagine him with more space running a pick and roll? he was devastating teams when there was no space and he was dunking on 2 or 3 players coming off a screen. Surround him with three 3point shooters a screen and a pg and it's light out league cause he aint settling for no punk ass jump shot.

[StrongLurk]

Shaq might be the 4th best player of all time factoring in the mostly modern era (behind MJ, Kareem, and Lebron).

Of course he would obliterate any league.

He'd get worked on defense though if we are talking about the current state of the NBA.

[Gileraracer]

Crazy to think that Lebron couldn't win with this man on his team :eek:

[Showtime80']

LOL at Shaq getting "worked on defense"!!!

He's going to do the same thing he did in his prime and park his big behind in the paint and dare you to beat him with jump shots because unlike modern dumb as a rock centers he realized that it is almost impossible to block long jumpers/3 pointers, a smaller player has the advantage on the perimeter and if he comes out he leaves paint totally unattended. No wonder Chuck laughs out loud watching these nimrods trying to guard short players on the perimeter.

For all the hoopla about the "modern 3 point shooting" the league is only shooting it at a 35% clip with 80 to 85% of them being shot WIDE OPEN!!!

Can you imaging trying to contain Shaq with these new small ball lineups and soft rules!?!?! Or chumps that are allergic to the paint like Embiid, KAT or Jokic trying to guard Shaq for 40+ minutes?!? Can you say foul trouble before half time?

Shaq and any of the all time great centers would turn the modern analytic geek math on its head as they would probably be shooting at a 70% clip near the rim while also getting the opposing team's front line in foul trouble which the modern centers just do not have the ability or the desire to do.

[andgar923]

LOL at Shaq getting "worked on defense"!!!

He's going to do the same thing he did in his prime and park his big behind in the paint and dare you to beat him with jump shots because unlike modern dumb as a rock centers he realized that it is almost impossible to block long jumpers/3 pointers, a smaller player has the advantage on the perimeter and if he comes out he leaves paint totally unattended. No wonder Chuck laughs out loud watching these nimrods trying to guard short players on the perimeter.

For all the hoopla about the "modern 3 point shooting" the league is only shooting it at a 35% clip with 80 to 85% of them being shot WIDE OPEN!!!

Can you imaging trying to contain Shaq with these new small ball lineups and soft rules!?!?! Or chumps that are allergic to the paint like Embiid, KAT or Jokic trying to guard Shaq for 40+ minutes?!? Can you say foul trouble before half time?

Shaq and any of the all time great centers would turn the modern analytic geek math on its head as they would probably be shooting at a 70% clip near the rim while also getting the opposing team's front line in foul trouble which the modern centers just do not have the ability or the desire to do.

They'd be lunch meat for Shaq.

Shaq would still be too quick, too strong, too fast for them. Shaq was doing work on Dwight during his later years way past his prime and during Dwigth's peak.

[StrongLurk]

LOL at Shaq getting "worked on defense"!!!

He's going to do the same thing he did in his prime and park his big behind in the paint and dare you to beat him with jump shots because unlike modern dumb as a rock centers he realized that it is almost impossible to block long jumpers/3 pointers, a smaller player has the advantage on the perimeter and if he comes out he leaves paint totally unattended. No wonder Chuck laughs out loud watching these nimrods trying to guard short players on the perimeter.

For all the hoopla about the "modern 3 point shooting" the league is only shooting it at a 35% clip with 80 to 85% of them being shot WIDE OPEN!!!

Can you imaging trying to contain Shaq with these new small ball lineups and soft rules!?!?! Or chumps that are allergic to the paint like Embiid, KAT or Jokic trying to guard Shaq for 40+ minutes?!? Can you say foul trouble before half time?

Shaq and any of the all time great centers would turn the modern analytic geek math on its head as they would probably be shooting at a 70% clip near the rim while also getting the opposing team's front line in foul trouble which the modern centers just do not have the ability or the desire to do.

Relax.

[hiphopanonymous]

LOL at Shaq getting "worked on defense"!!!

He's going to do the same thing he did in his prime and park his big behind in the paint and dare you to beat him with jump shots because unlike modern dumb as a rock centers he realized that it is almost impossible to block long jumpers/3 pointers, a smaller player has the advantage on the perimeter and if he comes out he leaves paint totally unattended. No wonder Chuck laughs out loud watching these nimrods trying to guard short players on the perimeter.

For all the hoopla about the "modern 3 point shooting" the league is only shooting it at a 35% clip with 80 to 85% of them being shot WIDE OPEN!!!

Can you imaging trying to contain Shaq with these new small ball lineups and soft rules!?!?! Or chumps that are allergic to the paint like Embiid, KAT or Jokic trying to guard Shaq for 40+ minutes?!? Can you say foul trouble before half time?

Shaq and any of the all time great centers would turn the modern analytic geek math on its head as they would probably be shooting at a 70% clip near the rim while also getting the opposing team's front line in foul trouble which the modern centers just do not have the ability or the desire to do.
Center position is my absolute favorite all-time position and dominating centers are generally my favorite players.

That said can I make one correction here that might explain why you see centers "out of position" away from the hoop? It needs to be understood that the rule since around, 1966 has been that you need to be within an arms length when guarding your man within something like 3 seconds. This was originally to combat Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain camping in the paint on the defensive end in their man-to-man era. Zone was banned in that era so technically they'd always had to be guarding their man but they did what any greats would do which was try to shade back towards the hoop especially if their opponent couldn't shoot. But guess what, if their man could stretch the floor like say, Willis Reed or Zelmo Beaty they absolutely HAD TO get out there within arms reach.

So pulling a big away from the paint has almost always, and almost will always be a real strategy to the game of basketball and these same rules still apply today with a few modifications:

The modification is, when the league implemented zone (what was it the early '00's?) a few seasons went by where they realized bigs could now legally camp under the rim again (like Shaq) and once they realized this they then added yet again, a similar modifier they made for Russell and Wilt. The league still allows zone defense but pretty much only on the perimeter. Down low there is a rule in place that anyone in the 16 foot lane, regardless if you're playing "zone defense" - has to be within an arms length of an offensive player again - defensive 3 seconds reinstated basically but now aimed specifically at bigs so perimeter is still freed up to zone. So, even with modern zone rules paint camping is still restricted. Just be aware Shaq would have to abide by this. I think a few seasons of his career he was allowed to get away with the new zone rules but they shored that up and the modern floor stretching def still can pose a problem for rim protectors.

Still, a great rim protector knows his role and a great coach will orchestrate the teams defense to try and keep that big down where he belongs. This current era really sucks for defense though. I don't think anyone can make a huge defensive impact in this era, best to just focus on offense with how the no-contact rules are right now.

[Wally450]

Shaq would average 70% shooting if he played today.

[hiphopanonymous]

I'll also add I agree most of those historically great bigs are going to feast offensively. In today's era they'll get a few of these floor stretchers that are so prevalent with today's banned perimeter defense. That means the paint will be wide open for them to 1 on 1 against their matchup or just rack up assists acting like the hub of a bicycle wheel to any outside shooters. Almost all of the all-time great centers were all-time greats at passing out of the post as well. They would feast today offensively - with passing and dominant moves in a much less crowded modern paint - with much smaller lineups.

[Showtime80']

Nice posts Hypho!!!

Continuing with the thread title, here is another guy who would be absolutely out of this world today, Dominique Wilkins:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AS5putGxdcI

In today's social medial and sports talk saturated world were everybody is creaming themselves over a few open lane dunks from the pudgy and stubby Zion can you imagine the reaction to some of Dominique's plays?!? He would own the nightly and early morning sports media regularly but come to think about it nobody challenges dunks like this anymore in today's soft NBA which is what made Nique's slams so special.

I cannot get over the fact that the media has turned Vince Carter into this top player all time when he did NOTHING team wise while playing his prime years in probably the WORST CONFERENCE IN HISTORY, he just basically won a dunk contest in 2000 became extremely popular because of it and rode that fame for the rest of his career. T-Mac is in this boat as well.

Dominique on the other hand played in one of the strongest EC's in history battling the Sixers, Bucks, Celtics, Cavs, Bulls and Knicks for his entire prime while having the least amount of help when compared to the other stars and still being a top 5-10 player, multiple dunk contest winner and as you can seen in the video clip above, just a HUMAN HIGHLIGHT FILM!

[bigkingsfan]

Imagine him adding a three point arsenal :eek:

[LAmbruh]

That aesthetic eye pleasing fluid game of the Hack-A-Shaq era.



What a time to be a Hornacek fan :yaohappy:

[Micku]

I wonder would his apg go up because of the amount of shooting that's in the league?

Shaq would dominate the league. He might play a little differently.

[andgar923]

I wonder would his apg go up because of the amount of shooting that's in the league?

Shaq would dominate the league. He might play a little differently.
I thought about how his game might change.

I don't think he'd change much as his coaches would recognize how unstoppable he is down low. They'd open up the floor for him and get him on perimeter isos even more than back then because the rules and style allow it.

You're also correct... Shaq was an exceptional passer and was always keeping the defense on their heels. He had great court vision and timing always making the right pass and play. Give him more space and he's gonna have an easier time to find open players. Defenders would need to travel more to cover and trap him which would only make it easier for him to find the open man.

Shaq had the skills and athleticism to be a more perimeter/drive/penetrating big man but it was harder for him back then. But give him more space and he's killing anyone that tries to guard him big or small.

One thing about Shaq is he knows who he is and he knows his strengths. He aint gonna try to finesse you, he's gonna try to punish you first, 2nd and 3rd as his options. But if you take that away he'll softly hit a soft hook or fadeaway off the glass. Dude is skilled af and has a very nice soft touch if needed.

To finish things off...

There's stories of Shaq playing PG in pick up games and killing people.

Good luck league of today:pimp:

[andgar923]

https://www.facebook.com/ballislifestyle/videos/the-best-of-shaqs-handles/687506978331046/

Peep the handles.

He isn't stiff.
He isn't out of control.

He's in full control of his handles, has fluidity, quickness, agile etc.

[superduper]

Would he have the greatest SG in history after MJ on his team? If not, perennial first round sweeps.

[red1]

no doubt.






its why the 01 lakers would beat the warriors. could you imagine shaq going up against the donkey every single play? :roll::roll::roll:

[NBAGOAT]

Shaq would need a bucks type system. Sit in the paint and concede jump shots. It works vs some teams but not vs others. Switching could be terrible(One reason those Kings teams and the Nash/dirk mavs gave shaq/Kobe trouble).Showtime still doesn’t seem to get shooting 35% from 3 is great offense, I don’t think he ever will lol.

Shaq obviously dominate. It be a stupid for a team not to just build their offense completely around him so I don’t think he has to change his game much. Just get a non dominant pg and he would thrive surrounded by more shooting. Only small drawback is they call less fouls on the defense in the post now and Shaq got a lot of uncalled fouls on him anyway.

Still lot of people here overplay how good a lot of centers were in the post and s lot are defensive liabilities in today’s game. It is really hard to be efficient there. No brad Daugherty wouldn’t easily be the best center today

Edit: there is a reason the majority of coaches have decided to have their bigs shoot more and post less, they’re not all stupid. Gasol and Lopez were very good post up guys and now they’re spot up guys, teams have decided that’s more effective. Towns/jokic are very good but towns is still better chucking and jokic is best in the triple threat area

[CelticBaller]

I wonder would his apg go up because of the amount of shooting that's in the league?

Shaq would dominate the league. He might play a little differently.
He won

[Overdrive]

'95 Orlando was a team made for this era.

[FKAri]

[QUOTE=NBAGOAT]Shaq would need a bucks type system. Sit in the paint and concede jump shots. It works vs some teams but not vs others. Switching could be terrible(One reason those Kings teams and the Nash/dirk mavs gave shaq/Kobe trouble).Showtime still doesn

[NBAGOAT]

A nuanced take. Unfortunately, everyone will gloss over it :oldlol:

Appreciated coming from you. Obviously expected with the posters commenting besides showtime. He likes getting the last word in :oldlol: