Could Wemby stop or slow down Shaq on defense? 1on1 force him to pass etc?

[bonita_the_frog]

What wasn't 350 pounds playing against Rodman...

Ok 300 pounds. Still, LeBron is a short center who isn't known for brutality, so i can't see Shaq caring.

Being shorter is an advantage in this discussion...

If you're Dennis Rodman yep.

[dhsilv2]

Ok 300 pounds. Still, LeBron is a short center who isn't known for brutality, so i can't see Shaq caring.

Being shorter is an advantage in this discussion...

If you're Dennis Rodman yep.

Or anyone else. You want to get low if you want to make it harder for someone to move you. This is basic physics 101 stuff. It's some of the first stuff you'll learn in football, basketball, or really any sport where you're trying to over power someone.

[70sFan]

Being shorter is an advantage in this discussion...

If you're Dennis Rodman yep.

Or anyone else. You want to get low if you want to make it harder for someone to move you. This is basic physics 101 stuff. It's some of the first stuff you'll learn in football, basketball, or really any sport where you're trying to over power someone.

In the case of lowering your center of gravity, sure - but we have to remember that is not the goal for stopping Shaq. Even if you keep Shaq one feet further than your taller and longer teammate, Shaq could just rise up and score over them with ease.

You need both strong and long player to really bother Shaq.

[Lalouie]

But why would Shaq care about 255lbs? LeBron is almost a hundred pounds less than Shaq, and 4 inches shorter...
And LeBron is known for flopping, not Rodmaning

What wasn't 350 pounds playing against Rodman...

Ok 300 pounds. Still, LeBron is a short center who isn't known for brutality, so i can't see Shaq caring.

lebron could be disruptive at that size...

people compete as their body allows, ie caruso was never going to guard jokic by playing big,,,, that's not caruso. i do not think, for instance, that Dwight could play shaq any other way BUT big,,,because that is who he is

lebron is smart, or so everyone says., so he won't try to play shaq big but he's still big

[Lalouie]

My ribs hurt just thinking about it haha

wemby's tailbone would ache

[dhsilv2]

If you're Dennis Rodman yep.

Or anyone else. You want to get low if you want to make it harder for someone to move you. This is basic physics 101 stuff. It's some of the first stuff you'll learn in football, basketball, or really any sport where you're trying to over power someone.

In the case of lowering your center of gravity, sure - but we have to remember that is not the goal for stopping Shaq. Even if you keep Shaq one feet further than your taller and longer teammate, Shaq could just rise up and score over them with ease.

You need both strong and long player to really bother Shaq.

You really need a teammate to help, which is what Rodman had.

[bonita_the_frog]

Or anyone else. You want to get low if you want to make it harder for someone to move you. This is basic physics 101 stuff. It's some of the first stuff you'll learn in football, basketball, or really any sport where you're trying to over power someone.

In the case of lowering your center of gravity, sure - but we have to remember that is not the goal for stopping Shaq. Even if you keep Shaq one feet further than your taller and longer teammate, Shaq could just rise up and score over them with ease.

You need both strong and long player to really bother Shaq.

You really need a teammate to help, which is what Rodman had.

And Rodman had himself too. I can't think of anyone in today's NBA with Rodman's ability.

[dhsilv2]

In the case of lowering your center of gravity, sure - but we have to remember that is not the goal for stopping Shaq. Even if you keep Shaq one feet further than your taller and longer teammate, Shaq could just rise up and score over them with ease.

You need both strong and long player to really bother Shaq.

You really need a teammate to help, which is what Rodman had.

And Rodman had himself too. I can't think of anyone in today's NBA with Rodman's ability.

The bulls were double teaming Shaq every time he was guarded by Rodman. Often triple teams were being sent.

[Effigy]

Shaq would snap Wemby in two. Wemby doesn't have the strength to stop prime Shaq.

[MarcusBrody]

Don't really think people are forgetting this considering the poll results, lol

On defense it would be something like this:

Watch on YouTube

;pp=ygUVc2hhd24gYnJhZGxleSB2cyBzaGFx

... except this is skinnier younger Shaq

Idk maybe a younger group is voting? Honestly nobody could guard Shaq that's why hack a Shaq was invented. Gobert and Wemby both would end up on posters multiple times a game and have 6 fouls each and negative plus minus and Shaq would probably go off for 40+ points 20+ rebounds and 10+ blocks easily

40+ and 20 rebounds? I'll ignore the blocks.

Shaq did that 4 times in his entire playoff career.

Nobody here thinks Wemby is stopping shaq, look at the votes. But if anything, people are exaggerating who/what shaq was.

To add some context, during his MVP season, Shaq played 79 games in the regular season and scored over 40 points 9 times, so 11% of his games. Of those 9 40 point games, 4 of them were against the 3 worst teams in the league - all of whom were under 20 wins.

The list of opposing centers in those games:
Michael Olowakambi x2
Adonis Foil
Jahidi White
Will Perdue
Patrick Ewing (at that time 37 and not good)
Vlad Divac (not an amazing defender, but probably the best on the list
Will Perdue
Luc Longley (also almost out of the league)

Shaq was a spectacular player, but the idea that he was just this totally unstoppable offensive juggernaut just knocking all time great centers aside and dunking every possession (except Hakeem, against who I think RGM actually underrates his performance) is just not there.

Now that being said, I think Wemby would be a bad Shaq defender for the reasons everyone has mentioned. A lot would depend on officiating though. The more they let Shaq drop his shoulder, the easier a time he'd have, but the more they let Wemby reach back across his body after being knocked back, the better chance he'd have to disrupt Shaq with his reach as Shaq started to bring the ball up. Kind of similar to watching Chet guard Jokic last year (more regular season than playoffs where they switched up schemes a bit). He had some success using his long reach after being moved out of position. Shaq would be even tougher as he defaulted more to power moves to finish, but Wemby also has an even longer reach than Chet.

So I don't think Wemby could guard Shaq, but I'd be fascinated to watch him try.

[SlimShady83]

So many of you are picturing Wemby trying to guard Shaq in the post. Much like many people want to see Wemby develop a post game. Wemby isn't a post guy. If you put him on Shaq, he's going to be fronting and using that length, height, and agility to ball denial. Just like on offense, Wemby isn't posting up anyone outside of a guard and even then he might not...

Exactly how he would defend Shaq, people thinking Wemby would just try and stay behind Shaq let him bully him etc, not the case, he would be in front .

[dhsilv2]

Vlad Divac (not an amazing defender, but probably the best on the list

Vlade was an elite defender who was just overshadowed by others. He was actually a center who gave shaq real trouble at times. He might be the ONLY big name center who the comments about Shaq raising up his game is actually valid. Shaq really hated Vlade and wanted to punish him.

[og15]

Exactly how he would defend Shaq, people thinking Wemby would just try and stay behind Shaq let him bully him etc, not the case, he would be in front .

Playing in front isn't 1v1 defense. I'm assuming you didn't mean the team just letting Shaq go 1v1, well, maybe you did, since the OP said:

"Could Wemby stop, slow Shaq downlow from scoring and force him to pass the ball, ie extra passes open shooter, would double teaming still be needed etc"

Fronting the post on defense is based on making the pass harder by having it go over top, and then trusting your help defense to close the space and swarm after the pass. It's not technically 1v1 defense.

[dhsilv2]

Exactly how he would defend Shaq, people thinking Wemby would just try and stay behind Shaq let him bully him etc, not the case, he would be in front .

Playing in front isn't 1v1 defense. I'm assuming you didn't mean the team just letting Shaq go 1v1, but Wemby simply being the primary defender. Fronting the post on defense is based on making the pass harder by having it go over top, and then trusting your help defense to close the space and swarm after the pass. It's not technically 1v1 defense.

I mean...why not? If you have someone who can legit ball deny a guy and you just give up the 2 points if they get shaq the ball sometimes...

Normally this would be just stupid. But Wemby is a rare guy I think could legit do this.

I'd add in...1 on 1 is basically never done anyway. The best players pretty much smoke anyone 1 on 1.

[SlimShady83]

Exactly how he would defend Shaq, people thinking Wemby would just try and stay behind Shaq let him bully him etc, not the case, he would be in front .

Playing in front isn't 1v1 defense. I'm assuming you didn't mean the team just letting Shaq go 1v1, well, maybe you did, since the OP said:

"Could Wemby stop, slow Shaq downlow from scoring and force him to pass the ball, ie extra passes open shooter, would double teaming still be needed etc"

Fronting the post on defense is based on making the pass harder by having it go over top, and then trusting your help defense to close the space and swarm after the pass. It's not technically 1v1 defense.

Yeh when drinking you don't think straight lols. most of if not all of the time I think Wemby will be in front. There will be of course cases where he'll be from behind and most likely get wrecked

I still call it 1v1 if defender is in front, but that's just me.

[og15]

Exactly how he would defend Shaq, people thinking Wemby would just try and stay behind Shaq let him bully him etc, not the case, he would be in front .

Playing in front isn't 1v1 defense. I'm assuming you didn't mean the team just letting Shaq go 1v1, well, maybe you did, since the OP said:

"Could Wemby stop, slow Shaq downlow from scoring and force him to pass the ball, ie extra passes open shooter, would double teaming still be needed etc"

Fronting the post on defense is based on making the pass harder by having it go over top, and then trusting your help defense to close the space and swarm after the pass. It's not technically 1v1 defense.

Yeh when drinking you don't think straight lols. most of if not all of the time I think Wemby will be in front. There will be of course cases where he'll be from behind and most likely get wrecked

I still call it 1v1 if defender is in front, but that's just me.

Yes, drinking would affect thought process

Exactly how he would defend Shaq, people thinking Wemby would just try and stay behind Shaq let him bully him etc, not the case, he would be in front .

Playing in front isn't 1v1 defense. I'm assuming you didn't mean the team just letting Shaq go 1v1, but Wemby simply being the primary defender. Fronting the post on defense is based on making the pass harder by having it go over top, and then trusting your help defense to close the space and swarm after the pass. It's not technically 1v1 defense.

I mean...why not? If you have someone who can legit ball deny a guy and you just give up the 2 points if they get shaq the ball sometimes...

Normally this would be just stupid. But Wemby is a rare guy I think could legit do this.

I'd add in...1 on 1 is basically never done anyway. The best players pretty much smoke anyone 1 on 1.

I edited, but yea seemed like the OP was indeed asking about 1v1 defense, against Shaq down low, which of course is tough.

Denial is part of 1v1 defense, but not in the sense that the OP seemed to be asking, but again, alcohol was involved as OP mentioned.

[TheChaser]

1 on 1 against prime Shaq ? No way.

Yeah, this. Shaq would get it deep and dunk it almost every time. He was huge. He was strong. And he was athletic at one point.

[Bornstellar]

Wemby would get a lot of blocks but no, I don't think really anyone ever is stopping peak Shaq 1v1

[SlimShady83]

Yes, drinking would affect thought process

When I posted this, my thought was, who could guard Shaq in today's game?

Two names at the time came up, Wemby/Giannis. But if Wemby had to guard Shaq from behind GG, I'm sure sometimes Wemby would be ok but most would be Shaq wrecking him, but as stated above, Wemby most likely guard him from the front try to deny passes etc make it tough for Shaq to get the ball.

Better question would have been, how would they stop or slow down Shaq? But is what it is now

[og15]

Yes, drinking would affect thought process

When I posted this, my thought was, who could guard Shaq in today's game?

Two names at the time came up, Wemby/Giannis. But if Wemby had to guard Shaq from behind GG, I'm sure sometimes Wemby would be ok but most would be Shaq wrecking him, but as stated above, Wemby most likely guard him from the front try to deny passes etc make it tough for Shaq to get the ball.

Better question would have been, how would they stop or slow down Shaq? But is what it is now

It's okay, it happens. I think Wemby in front of Shaq, if you have other guys to help is a strategy one could employ, but of course if you're a primary defender, you're just not going to be able to be in front all the time.

There are a lot of ways for a guy to get in front, running and sealing early in transition, you can run a screen to the opposite block to get the defender behind, etc, so of course if you're the primary defender, you will get stuck behind enough, that maybe he's simply better as a help guy with someone else as primary.