Was Shaq underrated?

[XxIronChainzxX]

As an aside, I've always thought about what Shaq would be like if he were drafted say within the last 5 years. I think he'd be just as dominant, but probably see his team try to preserve that young mobile Orlando version throughout his career. His ability to run the floor at that size back then was incredible.

If Orlando or Prime Shaq played now:

Absolutely. You'd play the same 5 out spacing offence as before and get to run at small ball speed except you had Shaq in the middle at the 5 like some kind of super Giannis.

[Johnny Bball]

He didn't age like every single human being in NBA history.

Do I really have to explain that the point was that every human ages?

Do you intentionally miss the point?

Ok then.

[MrDollarBills]

As an aside, I've always thought about what Shaq would be like if he were drafted say within the last 5 years. I think he'd be just as dominant, but probably see his team try to preserve that young mobile Orlando version throughout his career. His ability to run the floor at that size back then was incredible.

If Orlando or Prime Shaq played now:

Absolutely. You'd play the same 5 out spacing offence as before and get to run at small ball speed except you had Shaq in the middle at the 5 like some kind of super Giannis.

yep. 5 out and Shaq was elite at passing out of double teams. Put Shaq on the floor with 3 or 4 shooters and its non stop buckets.

[JeepCSC]

Orlando Shaq, and his longevity, is underrated. He came into the league near-fully formed and produced at an insane level for over a decade with a peak nearly unmatched. His biggest knock is the belief he could have done more, and while fair up to a point, it obscures what he did do.

[Mylie10]

Shaq wasn't underrated when he played. Quite the opposite. Teams literally changed their rosters to try and matchup with Shaq, which was impossible.

The only team and player that Shaq had somewhat of an equally to was the Rockets with Yao Ming. Shaq even said as much.

He wasn't fat his whole career. As he got much older sure, most big guys do. But he was an amazing athlete in his younger years, and as he got older he got stronger.

An example of other teams and players trying to adapt to Shaq. Adonal Foyle came into the league as the all time shot blocker in college. However after a year or two of getting demolished by Shaq in the league, the Warriors and Adonal decided he needed to severely bulk up. He did that and he was never the same player again. The bulk ruined Adonal, and it made no difference to Shaq at all.

The league was completely different back then, and you needed to play inside out at that time. Once the aging process took care of Shaq, the league shifted to what we're seeing now.

[LipSkinMatter]

If you don't have him firmly as a top 5 player of all time you are underrating him.

[LoyalKing]

I think he is rated fine. Lock as top 10 player of all-time and most people recognize how dominant he was in his prime.

[JN61]

When I see certain posters use wording like Curry has biggest gravity out of any player in NBA history. It really makes greats like Shaq underrated.

[Prokorov]

Does anyone who watched Shaq play think that his dominance is/was underrated? The guy won only one MVP award which is paltry (half as many as Steve Nash) and -- I know this is anecdotal, but -- you hear so many people criticize him now ("fat and slow"; etc.), plus he seems to be relatively low on All-Time lists. Kobe seems to be seen by many as the greater player.

There just seems to be a lack of understanding how quickly and thoroughly he helped turned around Orlando, how dominant he was on a Laker team that won 3 championships, how good he still was as he won a championship in Miami and as an All-Star at 36 in Phoenix, and how he was close to or at the very top during the post-MJ, pre-LeBron years.

Was he underrated? NO.

Is he now? Yes.

Too many people who didnt eye witness his dominance, skill, and athleticism even later in his career have this idea he would be just an all-star because he didnt stretch the floor or would need to gaurd more on the perimeter. while that may hold true for some/most traditional bigs, shaq was such a beast that he would prevent you from going small.

[Lalouie]

Does anyone who watched Shaq play think that his dominance is/was underrated? The guy won only one MVP award which is paltry (half as many as Steve Nash) and -- I know this is anecdotal, but -- you hear so many people criticize him now ("fat and slow"; etc.), plus he seems to be relatively low on All-Time lists. Kobe seems to be seen by many as the greater player.

There just seems to be a lack of understanding how quickly and thoroughly he helped turned around Orlando, how dominant he was on a Laker team that won 3 championships, how good he still was as he won a championship in Miami and as an All-Star at 36 in Phoenix, and how he was close to or at the very top during the post-MJ, pre-LeBron years.

he didn't fully commit himself to the game and even apologized for it. yet he is still considered by many as a top20 - 30

so no, he is not underrated

[dhsilv2]

Shaq was the most frustrating player to root against. The man was unstoppable...other than the 20 or so games a year he missed which cost him more MVPs. I'm not sure how any player can be underrated when his nickname is "most dominate ever".

[NY 567]

No player in history, not MJ, not Magic, not Wilt, not Bird, not Kareem, was better than Shaq in 2000. No one.

[RoxSteady]

Does anyone who watched Shaq play think that his dominance is/was underrated? The guy won only one MVP award which is paltry (half as many as Steve Nash) and -- I know this is anecdotal, but -- you hear so many people criticize him now ("fat and slow"; etc.), plus he seems to be relatively low on All-Time lists. Kobe seems to be seen by many as the greater player.

There just seems to be a lack of understanding how quickly and thoroughly he helped turned around Orlando, how dominant he was on a Laker team that won 3 championships, how good he still was as he won a championship in Miami and as an All-Star at 36 in Phoenix, and how he was close to or at the very top during the post-MJ, pre-LeBron years.

Was he underrated? NO.

Is he now? Yes.

Too many people who didnt eye witness his dominance, skill, and athleticism even later in his career have this idea he would be just an all-star because he didnt stretch the floor or would need to gaurd more on the perimeter. while that may hold true for some/most traditional bigs, shaq was such a beast that he would prevent you from going small.

This is pretty much my take too. Obviously I don't have surveys to support it, but this is the sense I get.

[JeepCSC]

he didn't fully commit himself to the game and even apologized for it. yet he is still considered by many as a top20 - 30

so no, he is not underrated

Like what is this? Top 20 or 30? He’s closer to top 3 than top 30.

[Samurai]

I don't see how he's underrated. In the last RealGM Top 100 project, he came in at #8. And in the ongoing GOAT Peaks Projects, his 2000 season was voted in at #4, trailing only 91 MJ, 13 LeBron, and 67 Wilt. Not sure how much higher he realistically should be; both are in pretty rarefied air.

[JellosJigglin]

His MVP season had me convinced he was going to become the GOAT. Unfortunately, in his own words, he thought he was finished after one championship. If he had Kobe's work ethic, good god it would've been a run like we haven't seen since Bill Russell. That's the reason he's knocked down a few pegs. After that first title he constantly had to have a fire lit under his 400 pound ass.

[Lalouie]

he didn't fully commit himself to the game and even apologized for it. yet he is still considered by many as a top20 - 30

so no, he is not underrated

Like what is this? Top 20 or 30? He’s closer to top 3 than top 30.

so then he's OVER-f'ing-rated

[dautjazz]

he didn't fully commit himself to the game and even apologized for it. yet he is still considered by many as a top20 - 30

so no, he is not underrated

Like what is this? Top 20 or 30? He’s closer to top 3 than top 30.

so then he's OVER-f'ing-rated

ok by closer i think it meant closer to 3 than 20 or 30, which I agree. Id probably put him around 8. Id put MJ, Lebron, Kareem, Wilt, Magic, and Bird ahead of him. I'd put somewhere after amongst Duncan and Olajuwon, and I'd probably out Russell at 10.

[Lalouie]

Like what is this? Top 20 or 30? He’s closer to top 3 than top 30.

so then he's OVER-f'ing-rated

ok by closer i think it meant closer to 3 than 20 or 30, which I agree. Id probably put him around 8. Id put MJ, Lebron, Kareem, Wilt, Magic, and Bird ahead of him. I'd put somewhere after amongst Duncan and Olajuwon, and I'd probably out Russell at 10.

we all put emphasis on criteria we think are important. one of mine is wasted talent. how much the player gave to make himself the best he could be. and of btw all the MILLIONS they make to play the game. shaq himself admitted he didn't, therefore MAJOR negative points for that

[50CalClips]

Shaq underachieved, to be honest.

He squandered his talent... well, he still accomplished a lot, but he definitely squandered his true potential. He could have been much better.

Shaq NEVER led the league in Rebouding !!?!
NEVER? F%cking kidding me?!?