“He was the most dominant guy, nobody could guard him” - Tyronn Lue reminisces about playing with Shaquille O’Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
© RVR Photos - USA TODAY Sports
When it comes to the most dominant players in NBA history, Shaquille O'Neal is at the top of that list, and former teammate Tyronn Lue remembers absolutely no one being able to guard him.
Shaq had no equal
Lue and O'Neal shared a locker room for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1998-2001, and Lue had a front-row seat to the otherworldly dominance Shaq unleashed on the competition.
Recently, the now L.A Clippers head coach reminisced on O'Neal's dominance during their championship runs.
"Nobody could guard him. I mean he's the most dominant guy, we didn't see Wilt because we were too young, but I mean just as far as dominance, like you're going to be in the bonus in five minutes. Like there are going to be four wrap up fouls, and nobody could guard him.
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The little things he did, like pushing the basketball, he could handle, he could pass, you know he was agile, athletic. But he was so powerful, so explosive, nobody could guard him," he said.
A resume to boot
Lue is not alone in his assessment of Shaq's dominance on the court, as all former teammates and opponents alike recall his play during the Lakers three-peat. Over his 19-year career, O'Neal was a four-time NBA champion, a three-time Finals MVP, and a 15-time All-Star. He also won the MVP award in 2000 and was named to the All-NBA First Team eight times.
But it was not just his accolades and statistics that made Shaq such a force to be reckoned with. It was also his physicality and athleticism that made him nearly impossible to stop. Lue touched on this, pointing out the "little things" Shaq did on the court that set him apart from the rest.
There will never be another Shaq
It's hard to argue with Lue's comments, considering Shaq was a seven-foot-one, 325-pound behemoth who could run the floor, handle the ball, and finish with authority at the rim. He was also a fierce competitor and a leader on and off the court. Even today, nearly a decade after his retirement, Shaq's impact on the game of basketball is still felt.
He was undoubtedly one of the most dominant centers the game has ever seen, and as Lue stated, nobody could guard him during his prime. His sheer size made him a matchup nightmare for any defender, and possessed a physical makeup we may never see again.
Luckily for Lue, he was the one feeding him the ball, instead of the one being feasted on inside the paint.
