The Los Angeles Lakers have had an embarrassment of riches over the decades when it comes to possessing some of the NBA’s greatest players of all time.
Years before LeBron James came to town, they were led by Shaquille O’Neal, who, like James, was one of the sport’s greatest physical specimens ever.
He may have been the most dominant player ever during his peak in the early 2000s. Unfortunately, his peak was too short, and he started declining in his early 30s.
In contrast, James is still playing at an elite level at age 38, and in February he became the NBA’s all-time leading career scorer.
O’Neal admitted during a recent episode of the “I Am Athlete” podcast that he felt jealous when James accomplished the feat and wished it was he who had surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s career mark.
Via Sportskeeda:
“I say it all the time. It was professional jealousy at that moment. I wish that was me. I know what I would have done. ‘Me, I’m the greatest,’” O’Neal said.
The 2000 league MVP has a lot to be proud of as it is with four NBA championships, three straight NBA Finals MVPs and 28,596 points over his 19-year career. James still has a long way to go to match O’Neal’s accomplishments in a Lakers uniform.
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