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If he could have hit his FTs in his prime in a normal rate, lets say in the lower 80%?

I mean he would have been absolutely unstoppable, as hack a shaq wouldnt work? Plus he would have had at least 5 PPG more, he could play the final minutes of close games etc...

So would Shaq have been GOAT or at elast the greatest big to play the game if he had a FT shot?

Would Iverson be GOAT if he practiced?

I see your point. But I am more concerned about Shaq's attitude and also his D. He is not a game altering defender (even when he was 2nd Team All-D, he was prone to pick and rolls), and don't get me started on his conditioning. Even with 80% FT, he will end below Kareem, and that is not a knock in Shaq.

agree with Point Forward..

Shaq has worked on his FT's, and it didn't help..sometimes, there is nothing you can do about a flaw in your game..

the main flaw with Shaq is attitude and conditioning, like Point Forward said..if he stayed in shape, and wasn't so lazy, I don't see what could have stopped him from being a top 3 player of all-time, instead of declining like he has right now..

I think one year he would've beat Jordan for the scoring title, edged out by his FT%.

If Shaq had the work ethic of someone like Karl Malone, Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant he would be considered as the GOAT right now IMO.

shaq is still prolly top 5 all time, not bad for a lazy guy...IMO

Shaq would still be remembered as 'The Guy" who was scared of playing with Kobe... So NO.

G-UNIT wrote:shaq is still prolly top 5 all time, not bad for a lazy guy...IMO

Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell.

Which two should I leave off for Shaq?

Shaq is around 8th-10th, not top 5.

tkb wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell.

Which two should I leave off for Shaq?

Shaq is around 8th-10th, not top 5.

sorry i meant top 5 centers

Another thing .. when he was traded to Miami he said he would not be satisfied with himself inless he got 3 more rings with them ..

he got 1 and not much else .. so unless he leaves Miami to go ride off some other Superstars jock hes gonna look bad for not getting to his goal ...

if he would have reached that Goal i would have had no doubt he should be top 3 if not the GOAT... i agree 8th to 10th

Shaq's best year was the 1999-2000 season in which he averaged 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game. If he hit his free throws at an 80% clip, and still had the same number of attempts, he'd have averaged 32.6 points per game. It should also be pointed out that he may not have that many attempts if he was able to shoot at that high of a clip. The Hack-A-Shaq would not have been implemented as often due to his percentage there.

skones wrote:Shaq's best year was the 1999-2000 season in which he averaged 29.7 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 3.0 blocks per game. If he hit his free throws at an 80% clip, and still had the same number of attempts, he'd have averaged 32.6 points per game. It should also be pointed out that he may not have that many attempts if he was able to shoot at that high of a clip. The Hack-A-Shaq would not have been implemented as often due to his percentage there.

Yea, but he would have had more scoring attempts if teams weren't hacking him. It would have all evened out.

Griever24 wrote:Another thing .. when he was traded to Miami he said he would not be satisfied with himself inless he got 3 more rings with them ..
he got 1 and not much else .. so unless he leaves Miami to go ride off some other Superstars jock hes gonna look bad for not getting to his goal ...

if he would have reached that Goal i would have had no doubt he should be top 3 if not the GOAT... i agree 8th to 10th

IIRC, he guaranteed Miami ONE title, and he 'delivered' (however you want to define that).

I do not recall 3, at all; because if that was true you'd have others making an issue out of that, and they aren't......

btw, to answer the question, with the way MJ impacted the game, on the court and off of it, he will forever be considered the GOAT.

Shaq's one of the GOAT, but not the GOAT. (if that makes sense...)

I never said he didnt deliver to Miami i remember that clearly as well he promised "A Ring" to Miami however if i can find the footage i show you in like 2 or 3 interviews he said he would not be satisfied inless he won 3 more in his career so then he could show his Kids he was the biggest and baddest or something like that ..

He wants at least 6 rings, he's said that on many occasions, but not specifically when he got traded to Miami, my point here.....

He delivered what he promised to Miami, per se; again, how you define deliver is your prerogative here.....

The fact that u can't close out games should be held against u greatly. Shaq always needed someone else to close out games (Penny, Kobe, Wade) because he couldn't hit FT's and as such... he should be ranked a lot lower than he would have been if he could hit FT's.

To answer the Question... He would have won a ring practically every year and be known as the GOAT if he could hit FT's. He's still gonna be known as a top 10 and at worst... top 15 player of all time.

Personally, I think Hakeem was the better player who never had the supporting cast. He was a beast on BOTH SIDES of the court. Teams always attacked Shaq on the pick and roll since they knew he was weak at that... Teams stayed the hell away from Hakeem no matter where he was on the court. But that Discussion could take place at another time.

Flash3 wrote:He wants at least 6 rings, he's said that on many occasions, but not specifically when he got traded to Miami, my point here.....

He delivered what he promised to Miami, per se; again, how you define deliver is your prerogative here.....

Again i do not discredit the guy .. 4 rings is a lot more rings then a lot of other players have 9like steve nash) and hes accomplished a lot throughout his career in those dominant days as a Laker And those first 2 years in Miami ... but i just feel he could have been so much more had he done what someone else said earlier .. not been Lazy and worked hard and determined (better work ethic)... 8th to 10th is not bad like someone else said for a lazy guy lol ... just as far as on the top like 5 i dont think he should be considered in that discussion

oh yeah and as far as the 6 yes i seen that on the lakers Dynasty Dvd it wasnt just with the Heat but i do remember 2 other interviews asking him when he was traded to the heat how many more he would like to win and he said 3 more ... one of them he changed it from three more to maybe 2 or 3 ..