Who was the most overrated player in NBA History

[trojanfan12]

You want overrated, how about Shag O'Neil. Nice to be a 7 foot center playing a foot from the basket.

Shaq was slightly overrated, but nowhere close to the most overrated ever. What made Shaq overrated, imo was that he was lazy and that kept him from fulfilling his full potential.

He liked to call himself The MDE (Most Dominant Ever), but he never really lived up to that. With as dominant as he could be (and to an extent, was in his prime), if he would have had even half the work ethic of guys like Kobe or MJ, he would have easily been the MDE and probably would have made a serious run at MJ for GOAT.

 

[StanMarsh51]

Who?

 

[trojanfan12]

PatsFan is acting like Shaq was the only 7-footer to ever play the game. There are lots of guys who are his height but practically no one could do what Shaq could do. I really only started watching basketball in the mid-90s, so I can't speak about the time before then . . . but he's one of the top 5 players that I've seen play.

I have Shaq as the #4 center all time. I rate Kareem, Olajuwon and Wilt ahead of him.

 

[broncosmitty]

It was a beatdown after game 1 when the Bulls put Scottie on Magic. That was the beginning though for sure. Bulls had to get past the Pistons finally.

It was sweet

I meant that Knicks series.

But that first Finals for the Bulls was a sight to see. I was at the age where I didn't really remember anyone but the Pistons and Celtics playing from the East.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Shaq was slightly overrated, but nowhere close to the most overrated ever. What made Shaq overrated, imo was that he was lazy and that kept him from fulfilling his full potential.

He liked to call himself The MDE (Most Dominant Ever), but he never really lived up to that. With as dominant as he could be (and to an extent, was in his prime), if he would have had even half the work ethic of guys like Kobe or MJ, he would have easily been the MDE and probably would have made a serious run at MJ for GOAT.

Shaq's size was unprecedented. Nobody has come close to carrying 330lb with a 7'8'' wingspan like he did. At his peak no team could play inside on offense when he was under the basket. I don't know why the video of Barkley running into Shaq and knocking himself out isn't run more, maybe because TNT doesn't want it to be seen.
He was nowhere near as fast or agile as Russell, Jabar or Olajuwan, but his length, bulk and power made up for it.

 

[Guy Incognito]

Has anyone mentioned Len Bias yet?

 

[PatsFan2003]

great and overrated are not exclusive statements. He would be a HoF player in any generation, he is only overrated because people think he is a top 10 player all time, and he just isn't.

I think you can easily make a strong that he's still in the top ten. Top five even.

Who would be better?

Another product of his era is George Mikan. At the time he was great but now.. Not even in the top 10. Others have done more.

 

[knowyourenemy]

I have Shaq as the #4 center all time. I rate Kareem, Olajuwon and Wilt ahead of him.

I haven't really thought about it -- but over the last 20 years, it's probably:

LeBron
Shaq
Duncan
Garnett
Kobe

You could make cases for some other guys, but those are probably the top 5 players over the last 20 years. Maybe some people put Dirk in there . . . or Wade or Durant or Iverson (I wouldn't, but I'm sure some Philly fans might -- how could you not love AI?) . . . but not sure you can really argue with those 5.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

Shaq was slightly overrated, but nowhere close to the most overrated ever. What made Shaq overrated, imo was that he was lazy and that kept him from fulfilling his full potential.

He liked to call himself The MDE (Most Dominant Ever), but he never really lived up to that. With as dominant as he could be (and to an extent, was in his prime), if he would have had even half the work ethic of guys like Kobe or MJ, he would have easily been the MDE and probably would have made a serious run at MJ for GOAT.

Try hauling around 330lb, he couldn't have played at a frantic pace and lasted.

 

[PatsFan2003]

PatsFan is acting like Shaq was the only 7-footer to ever play the game. There are lots of guys who are his height but practically no one could do what Shaq could do. I really only started watching basketball in the mid-90s, so I can't speak about the time before then . . . but he's one of the top 5 players that I've seen play.

hehehe. I'm just saying he fits the overrated category well. Being a freak of nature isn't your fault and you can certainly use it to your profit and advantage but let's not get carried away in terms of pure basketball skill.

Compare him to Wilt Chamberlain who was also a physical freak but imo a much better overall basketball player.

 

[Mebert]

I think you can easily make a strong that he's still in the top ten. Top five even.

Who would be better?

off the top of my head?

MJ, Lebron, Magic, Bird, Dream, Shaq, Abdul Jabbar, Wilt, Kobe, Duncan, KG, Dirk, Moses, West, Oscar, David Robinson, Elgin, Barkley, Stockton, and Dominique.

 

[trojanfan12]

Shaq's size was unprecedented. Nobody has come close to carrying 330lb with a 7'8'' wingspan like he did. At his peak no team could play inside on offense when he was under the basket. I don't know why the video of Barkley running into Shaq and knocking himself out isn't run more, maybe because TNT doesn't want it to be seen.
He was nowhere near as fast or agile as Russell, Jabar or Olajuwan, but his length, bulk and power made up for it.

No doubt and from a physicality standpoint, the only one of the guys I mentioned that could have come close to staying with him was Wilt, and even then, it wouldn't have been until later in his career when he bulked up and was concentrating on defense and rebounds.

Having said that, Shaq isn't stopping Kareem's skyhook or other post moves and Olajuwon tore Shaq up so bad with his footwork and quickness that, to this day, Shaq calls him Mr. Olajuwon.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

I meant that Knicks series.

But that first Finals for the Bulls was a sight to see. I was at the age where I didn't really remember anyone but the Pistons and Celtics playing from the East.

In those first 3 championship series Pippen was the better overall player other than scoring.
After MJ came back from riding the bus through the minors the team was more balanced with Harper, Kukoc and Longley, plus Rodman rebounding and playing defense.

 

[BallsOfFurry]

off the top of my head?

MJ, Lebron, Magic, Bird, Dream, Shaq, Abdul Jabbar, Wilt, Kobe, Duncan, KG, Dirk, Moses, West, Oscar, David Robinson, Elgin, Barkley, Stockton, and Dominique.

That's BS, you guys have pushed Russell to the bench while I was gone.

 

[Mebert]

That's BS, you guys have pushed Russell to the bench while I was gone.

I have been pretty clear from the get go where I put him. This is just the list that is no contest, there is a whole second wave after those players that you would have to compare, but Russell sits in that group for sure.

 

[trojanfan12]

Try hauling around 330lb, he couldn't have played at a frantic pace and lasted.

No one said he should play at a frantic pace. But not staying in shape in the off season and showing up to training camp 25-30 pounds overweight and "playing yourself into shape" every season takes a toll on the body. When you add to that the fact that's it's someone who's 7 feet tall and weighs 330 lbs, it takes an even bigger toll (pun sort of intended).

 

[BallsOfFurry]

No doubt and from a physicality standpoint, the only one of the guys I mentioned that could have come close to staying with him was Wilt, and even then, it wouldn't have been until later in his career when he bulked up and was concentrating on defense and rebounds.

Having said that, Shaq isn't stopping Kareem's skyhook or other post moves and Olajuwon tore Shaq up so bad with his footwork and quickness that, to this day, Shaq calls him Mr. Olajuwon.

Olajuwan used his best ever low post footwork to get under and around Shaq's defense. Still, it was one guy, Shaq still kept anybody from driving to the basket.

 

[SJ76]

No one broke backboards like Shaq did. He was a beast and you won't see many others in the history of the NBA like him.

 

[PatsFan2003]

off the top of my head?

MJ, Lebron, Magic, Bird, Dream, Shaq, Abdul Jabbar, Wilt, Kobe, Duncan, KG, Dirk, Moses, West, Oscar, David Robinson, Elgin, Barkley, Stockton, and Dominique.

I'm talking centers..

 

[Mebert]

Shaq is one you could say underachieved I think, but I think he is properly rated.

With his gifts out of the gate, if he put in the same work as the other greats I think he could have been the best all time. So top 5 center I think means he is rated fair, but what could have been.......