Would you draft a 20 yrs.old Shaquille O'Neal over a 21 yrs.old Michael Jordan??

[Marchesk]

Hakeem was drafted ahead of Jordan, no one batted an eye and even now you don't really hear people getting on the Rockets case for doing it. All things considered it was the right/smart choice, especially back then when the conventional knowledge was big men win championships.

Hakeem enjoyed more team success early on than Jordan did. Problem is that Hakeem's team got worse while Jordan's got better. That wasn't Olajuwon's fault.

[oarabbus]

Without hindsight, I draft Shaq.

WITH Hindsight, I still draft Shaq, ya ****in nutjobs. No way in hell I draft Jordan. Because if Jordan and Shaq entered the league at the same time, Jordan wouldn't be GOAT. No chance in hell Jordan goes for a perfect finals record with the MDE in the league at the same time as him.

[OnFire]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NwgNLW9ASQ

[DonDadda59]

Hakeem enjoyed more team success early on than Jordan did. Problem is that Hakeem's team got worse while Jordan's got better. That wasn't Olajuwon's fault.

Who said it was?

And Hakeem had plenty of help throughout his career, even if the middle was a bit thin. Started his career forming the original twin towers with Ralph Sampson, made it to the finals. Had Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, and even a fresh off a championship with Jordan Pippen throughout the 90s. Only won rings when Jordan was gone.

WITH Hindsight, I still draft Shaq, ya ****in nutjobs. No way in hell I draft Jordan. Because if Jordan and Shaq entered the league at the same time, Jordan wouldn't be GOAT. No chance in hell Jordan goes for a perfect finals record with the MDE in the league at the same time as him.

MDE with a more talented team than his later Lakers got swept by the GOAT n 96 bruh.

[Tking714]

I'd take shaq even in hindsight. He made building a team so easy. As a gm I want that job security even if he leaves teams after every contract.

[Jud]

I'd pick Shaq, because I wouldn't have known that MJ would one day become the GOAT NBA player.

[BlakFrankWhite]

I'd pick Shaq, because I wouldn't have known that MJ would one day become the GOAT NBA player.

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[3ball]

MJ would have won every single time Shaq lost with a stacked team (i.e. 1997 and 1998 WCF vs. Utah).

Whereas I can't say the same for Shaq - I can't say Shaq would have won with just Pippen and Grant - he's always needed a great backcourt to win... always.

So he can't win with no backcourt and just Pippen/Grant, especially considering he couldn't win with Eddie Jones, Van Exel, Kobe, Elden Campbell, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Robert Horry - Jordan would have easily won the championship in both 1997 and 1998 with this team...

Oh wait - let's not forget 2004 Finals - in that series, Shaq's 27 PPG and 64% shooting had ZERO impact - so replace that with MJ's 35 PPG, ridiculous synergies with Kobe just taking basketball to that heavenly place, superior determination, defensive commitment (GOAT perimeter defense with MJ and Kobe) and leadership and that's a rap.
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[jongib369]

MJ would have won every single time Shaq lost with a stacked team (i.e. 1997 and 1998 WCF vs. Utah).

Whereas I can't say the same for Shaq - I can't say Shaq would have won with just Pippen and Grant - he's always needed a great backcourt to win... always.

So he can't win with no backcourt and just Pippen/Grant, especially considering he couldn't win with Eddie Jones, Van Exel, Kobe, Elden Campbell, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Robert Horry - Jordan would have easily won the championship in both 1997 and 1998 with this team...

Oh wait - let's not forget 2004 Finals - in that series, Shaq's 27 PPG and 64% shooting had ZERO impact - so replace that with MJ's 35 PPG, ridiculous synergies with Kobe just taking basketball to that heavenly place, superior determination, defensive commitment (GOAT perimeter defense with MJ and Kobe) and leadership and that's a rap.
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What's your opinion on ranking Shaq,Wilt, and Kareem?

[jstern]

Out of college, you would pick Shaq.

Jordan. Shaq quit on multiple teams and couldn't co-exist with someone that was more marketable than him. First Penny, than Kobe, and lastly Wade. Talk about jealous and insecure

I don't think any of them were more marketable than Shaq. The one that came closes was probably penny in his prime, but Shaq was just too appealing for the mainstream, non basketball fans.

[Ray22]

With hindsight, obviously not. Shaq just doesn't have the focus, patience, attitude and determination to succeed with a single team for an extended period of time. Eventually he always got bored and/or lazy, blamed others for these things, and then left whatever team he was on, burning bridges as he left.

Basically, Shaq was never winning 6 titles for the team that drafted him. Jordan could (and did).

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[ILLsmak]

Shaq. I think if shaq was drafted to a better organization to start he might have stayed. I think shaq was too good with too little work so he needed someone to challenge him in a different way than people before phil did.

If you know you can be a top 3 player just by stepping on the court from your second year onward and dominate anyone on a given night, why would you work? Mj worked because if he slipped he could fall off.

Shaq needed goals that were unreachable and intangible.

-Smak

[swagga]

without knowing : shaq 10 out of 10.
knowing: shaq 10 out of 10.

lol, any coach, manager or competent basketball fan would pick shaq 10 out 10. There is nobody in history you pick over shaq in an all-time draft.

[swagga]

Shaq. I think if shaq was drafted to a better organization to start he might have stayed. I think shaq was too good with too little work so he needed someone to challenge him in a different way than people before phil did.

If you know you can be a top 3 player just by stepping on the court from your second year onward and dominate anyone on a given night, why would you work? Mj worked because if he slipped he could fall off.

Shaq needed goals that were unreachable and intangible.

-Smak

spot on, leave to an amateur team like orlando to squander prime years out of talent like shaq, howard, mcgrady ..

[BigNBAfan]

MJ would have won every single time Shaq lost with a stacked team (i.e. 1997 and 1998 WCF vs. Utah).

Whereas I can't say the same for Shaq - I can't say Shaq would have won with just Pippen and Grant - he's always needed a great backcourt to win... always.

So he can't win with no backcourt and just Pippen/Grant, especially considering he couldn't win with Eddie Jones, Van Exel, Kobe, Elden Campbell, Derek Fisher, Rick Fox, Robert Horry - Jordan would have easily won the championship in both 1997 and 1998 with this team...

Oh wait - let's not forget 2004 Finals - in that series, Shaq's 27 PPG and 64% shooting had ZERO impact - so replace that with MJ's 35 PPG, ridiculous synergies with Kobe just taking basketball to that heavenly place, superior determination, defensive commitment (GOAT perimeter defense with MJ and Kobe) and leadership and that's a rap.
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this proves you are a idiot