Just think what if a good shooter had Shaq's body? Shaq could have been better if he had some of Dream's moves or a free throws or jumpshots. He won solely on his physical attributes.
THE QUESTION IS 'Greater Physical Freak?' not skill, post moves and all of that. Keep it simple. Shaq is the greater physical freak. He was the first guy to come into the NBA with that size and that agility. Those are physical characteristics. Shaq was over 7'0 tall and 300+ lbs and athletic. Heck shaq could even do windmills (breakdance move) at that size. LeBron is 6'9 260 and athletic. So IMO there was a lot more of shaq and he could move with the best of them.
I voted for Shaq... I'm reading these post about Dwight Howard. Lets not mistake this, Howard is physically gifted no question but you must have forgotten who Shaq was! No other player, or at least none that I've seen, is an automatic 2 point if he catches the ball close to the rim. Have you forgotten that if Shaq caught the ball too close to the rim your only option was to get aways and let him get the 2 points. Yes, I said it, YOUR ONLY OPTION! There was no fouling Shaq, even if you fouled him he would power through your foul, still score the 2 points, and have a chance at a free throw. Hack-a-Shaq was a stratergy used when Shaq was AWAY from the rim, like at half court. If he was too close, the T.V. announcers would wounder why would you even foul, he'll just power through it! Lebron is gifted as well, but he's not automatic, the Celtics series proved that. I'm sorry, but the only reason to even start this thread means you've forgotten who Shaq was!
I started the thread because both Shaq and LeBron were just eliminated, so they were both on my mind. I think the one thing they share is that, at their respective positions, they excel all other players in NBA history in terms of sheer physicality. They are arguably the two premier physical marvels of the last 20 years in all of sports.
And every one who keeps bring up Hakeem, I understand, I'm a native Houstian too, I bleed Rockets Red too, but please stop. Shaq was a different breed, PERIOD! There has been nothing like him before or since (D. Howard included). I can't talk down on Dream, I just can't do it, but please stop putting him in post where he doesn't belong. True, he schooled Shaq when he was a rookie in the NBA Finals, this is True. And lets just leave it at that!
Yes I did, but that's not pertinent to the thread is it? OP asked about greater physical freak, Shaq or LeBron, limiting the choices to EITHER Shaq or LeBron. The Dream talk is irrelevant; even if it weren't, physically speaking, Shaq was in a different mold.
True, they are both "two premier physical marvels of the last 20 years", agreed. But who was the "Greater Physical Freak"...thinking...thinking... (wait for it)... Shaq.
He is 6-8 260+ lbs and he can gets end to end faster than literally every player in the league. If you want to consider leaping ability,lateral quickness, 40 time there is no one at 6-8 260 who could do that. Wilt was at least close to shaq. Who in league history can be compared to james.
I found this youtube video of Shaq with Orlando, before he reached the pirme of his career. I'm posting it for two reason, to remind people of his quickness. We haven't seen it in some time, he's been with Miami, Pheonix, and Cleveland, he's old and nowhere near the speed e use to be. And I'm posting it to show the recommended Shaq defense, if he gets the ball too close to the rim either stand straight up with your hands extended so the ref won't call foul, or just get out the damn way!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FM-eBOLMrOU Again, this is before he primed. I'm sure someone could post a video of his with the Lakers, especially those first year (playing Sacramento in the playoffs) that displays more of his physical dominence.
I had to vote LeBron. Dude has Karl Malone size yet he plays on the perimeter and is one of the fastest players in the league. Shaq wins in any category pertaining to power or scoring dominance and was surprisingly nimble for a man of his size, but all the same I come away more impressed with what LeBron does physically. In any event, the league has never seen anything like either player.
Voted Shaq. Lebron's a freak, but Shaq defied physics. Still don't know how he's able to be nimble on his feet while weighing 330+.
From a purely physical perspective, there are many with a comparable combination of power and speed. Jordan obviously. Jordan was the strongest guard in the league, and only 2 inches shorter than LeBron. After that, Dominique, Magic, Melo, Barkley are all pretty similar. It's not LeBron's athleticism that makes him so bizarre. It's that he can do these freaky things while also being the best ball handler, best passer, and best game planner on the floor. Shaq could power dunk a basketball even with Nick Anderson still holding onto it.
Thanks for posting that vid. It's really amazing looking back and seeing what the young Shaq was like. It's hard to believe that fat ass running around for the last few years is even the same guy.
Shaq will probably go down as the most physically dominant player to ever play in the NBA. The man went wherever the hell he wanted to in his prime........you could put 2 centers on him, that only slowed him you didn't stop him. I've seen this man dunk with 3 grown men hanging off of him.
The question is NOT "Who is the better player?" It's about their physical attributes. I'd say Shaq is more freakish. There are players of LeBron's size with comparable quickness and strength (but not as skilled, obviously). I have never seen a guy as big (not just tall) as Shaq who is as quick and agile in his prime. They say Wilt was like that. But I've never watched Wilt play live.
When Hakeem was 23-year-old 3rd year player, he beat Kareem's Showtime Lakers to go to the finals. When Shaq was a 23-year-old 3rd year player, Hakeem was still the best center ever.
Battier said it best when he described Lebron as bigger than Ray Lewis, faster than Moss, and jumps higher than God.
This is acutally a pretty difficult argument. Two of the most physically gifted players in the game, history. With combination of size, power, speed, agility, leaping combined with skill. Alot of younger posters will say that Shaq was nothing, but a big lumbering guy who was often out of shape and needed to be carried by Kobe and D-Wade at times, or even claim that Dwight Howard could do the same things he could do. Clearly, have no idea what they are talking about. The guy was pretty much more unstoppable then with the Magic, then he was with the Lakers. He could fly down the court, pass really well, jump really high, harass players out on the perimeter, tear rims down, and shatter backboards. Yet, still carried roughly 300 pounds. There were only like 4 or 5 teams in the league that did not double Shaq often, even then most teams did not shut this guy down. There's almost no player in the league (even in their prime), right now I would take over an available 21-25 year old Shaquille O'Neal. Though, LeBron would make me think hard about it.
