Who was the best Shaq defender?

[Akeem34TheDream]

Or the least bad? Who would you pick to guard peak Shaq?
Pls no free throw jokes

[999Guy]

Probably Sabonis.

[rawimpact]

Ben Wallace

[rawimpact]

Yao Ming

[Psileas]

Mutombo, with the exception of the 2001 Finals. Which is why I rank his 2001 Finals as arguably better than his 2000 ones.

[Gray GOAT]

I know you said no free throw jokes, but the referees probably did the best job on him. If they were to follow the rule book correctly and the way it was supposed to, Shaq would've went to the line at least 20 times per game and opposing teams would be in foul trouble almost every time. Shaq was officiated terribly.

[Whoah10115]

I know you said no free throw jokes, but the referees probably did the best job on him. If they were to follow the rule book correctly and the way it was supposed to, Shaq would've went to the line at least 20 times per game and opposing teams would be in foul trouble almost every time. Shaq was officiated terribly.

Or he would have had more field goals waived off due to his proclivity for offensive fouls.

Always amazing to me people don't see that. Mind-boggling and frustrating that anyone thinks the opposite.

[imdaman99]

Mutombo, with the exception of the 2001 Finals. Which is why I rank his 2001 Finals as arguably better than his 2000 ones.

Not a chance. Every version of Mutumbo would get annihilated by him. I'm talking ELBOWED to Mutumbos head and then dunked on :lol

Sabonis or combination of Ben and Sheed Wallace. Maybe one of the Spurs guys in the years they beat them.

[Real Men Wear Green]

Most likely it didn't matter who you put on him but I'll toss Rodman's name out there because the Bulls got a sweep if I remember correctly.

[Rosewood]

Tim Duncan.... Shaq playoff stats always declined considerably compared to his regular season stats when playing the Spurs. Obviously is never a one man job guarding shaq

[madmax]

Shaq dished out physically just as much as he received lol...that's why refs were always walking on the eggshells when officiating him, trying to find that fine line between his bulldozer style and the poor defenders who had to endure his 330 lbs time and time again...

[L8krH8tr]

Arvydas Sabonis in his prime would of toyed with Shaq.

[fsvr54]

Big Ben

[HBK_Kliq_2]

Maybe David Robinson? There's nobody that is stopping him 1 on 1, he's always going to put up numbers in his Lakers days. Drob is probably your best choice. I think Duncan was always deep down scared of Shaq, way too much power/size/athleticism for him.

[Whoah10115]

Maybe David Robinson? There's nobody that is stopping him 1 on 1, he's always going to put up numbers in his Lakers days. Drob is probably your best choice. I think Duncan was always deep down scared of Shaq, way too much power/size/athleticism for him.

That's the guy who wore #21 for San Antonio?

[RoseCity07]

In the 2000 WCFs Shaq was struggling late in the series. That game 7 he wasn’t doing jack shit. The Lakers bench sparked that comeback. Sabonis size and weight bothered Shaq.

[L8krH8tr]

In the 2000 WCFs Shaq was struggling late in the series. That game 7 he wasn’t doing jack shit. The Lakers bench sparked that comeback. Sabonis size and weight bothered Shaq.

Sabonis was so swift on his feet considering his size. Even with busted knees he was such a presence. Such a tragedy that Portland team didn't finish off the Fakers. I loved all their players that came and went, Steve Smith, Pippen,Sheed, and Grant. even Bonzi, Greg Anthony so many for me I liked. Damon Stoudamire was such a skilled player for his size.

[Reggie43]

Past prime Mutombo(34 years old) got killed by Shaq in the Finals but when I looked up their head to head matchups outside of that a few months ago Shaq never scored more than 30 points in any of their meetings.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/play-index/h2h_finder.cgi?request=1&player_id1_hint=Shaquille+O%27Neal&player_id1_select=Shaquille+O%27Neal&player_id1=onealsh01&idx=bbr__players&player_id2_hint=Dikembe+Mutombo&player_id2_select=Dikembe+Mutombo&player_id2=mutomdi01&idx=bbr__players

Actually did the math and Shaq from rookie to age 29 was averaging 27.6 ppg but in 13 games that he matched up with Mutombo in that span he was held to 22.3 ppg. Of the players I have searched I think Olajuwon is the only guy that held Shaq to similar numbers.

[Whoah10115]

Got away with so much.

[insidious301]

Of all star centers, it was Yao Ming and Mutombo. Shaq and Yao went H2H in 13 r/s games and Yao "held" him to 23ppg on 54% fg. Shaq scored less in career H2H's vs Mutombo as mentioned however not by much. Get this though. In the playoffs, Yao held Shaq to 16ppg on 51% fg! That was one series but still impressive. Mutombo, Ewing, Robinson, Olajuwon & Mourning never did that.