Shaquille O’Neal Supports Mario Chalmers Hot Take on LeBron James
LeBron James is one of the most consistent athletes of all time, having been in the league for more than two decades and dominating the league since he stepped in, LeBron has broken numerous records with his greatness and is respected throughout the community.
Whenever the question is raised about who is the greatest of all time, it always comes down to three legends: Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. The debate about the three players has been going on forever but never seems to stop. In a recent talk show, Shaquille O’Neal shared his views about LeBron and Jordan.
Shaquille O’Neal backs Mario Chalmers’s claims
In a recent episode of “The Big Podcast,” hosted by Shaquille O’Neal, the host was accompanied by former Miami Heat guard Mario Chalmers. Like every other podcast, this podcast also had the G.O.A.T. conversation. But both parties agreed to a single thought, which is unlikely whenever it comes to who the G.O.A.T. is.
Chalmers started a debate about the fear factor in today’s NBA and whether people don’t fear LeBron James. People used to talk about Kobe and Jordan like that, but not about LeBron. Shaq backed his statement by saying, “I haven’t heard any players claim that they are afraid of LeBron.”
Shaq says he never heard a player say they feared LeBron James
"I've heard players say, including myself, 'I feared [Michael Jordan].' I've heard players in [Mario Chalmers's] generation say they feared Kobe. I've never really heard any player say they feared LeBron."
(🎥… pic.twitter.com/nTObkiGKmP
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 13, 2024
Shaq further said that LeBron has this ‘nice guy’ persona, and due to that, he will always be a step below Jordan and Kobe. According to Shaq, their legendary stature is defined by their competitiveness, which LeBron lacks.
Taking a close look at Shaq and LeBron friendship
There was a time when LeBron and Shaq were teammates for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009, and Shaquille O’Neal was 37 back then and LeBron was just 25 years old. Shaq and LeBron made it to the Eastern Conference finals but ended up losing the series to the Boston Celtics.
But that wonder matchup only lasted for one season, and they both parted ways after that. They have been great friends and Shaq even gifted him a Rolls Royce on his 25th birthday.
The conversation about LeBron’s fandom will always be a headline. His court vision and dominance on the court helped him win 4 championships later. There is no denying that LeBron is one of the best to ever step on the court.