Shaq 2000 was the best center of all time. If you dont believe watch these.

[klutch2381]

He was 28 in 2000. That's your athletic peak. He did get his post moves up but his game was still largely based on athleticism then. Just look at what happened when his athleticism actually waned. The year before that Tim Duncan was able to more than hold his own with him. As I've said before none of the other great bigs could have stopped Shaq. However he couldn't have stopped them either. We can't just ignore the huge falloff of the Center position and the fact that we were in the one star per team era. The gap in competition between 95 and 00 was way greater at had way more to do with his prominence at the time then the gap in his abilities between 95 and 00.

I agree with a lot of what you say, I just disagree he was in his athletic prime in 2000. The idea that an athletic prime correlates to a specific age is one of the most fallacious things to me in terms of sports (e.g. 27-28). It doesn't account for any number of variables: wear and tear, motivation, injury, personal physiology, lifestyle, etc. Hell, Ian Thorpe is probably the greatest speed swimmer of all-time and he was done by like age 24. I could give countless examples.For instance, I don't think LeBron now (recently 29) is nearly as athletic (speed, agility, quickness, jumping ability, etc) as 24 year old LeBron. Obviously, Lebron is still way at the top of the hierarchy in terms of athleticism. But, this dude is gone:





Athletic prime varies.

 

[MoneyTron]

As far as Shaq vs Wilt, it would be interesting. Wilt gave Kareem some trouble when they played but Kareem was a finesse center. I doubt he ever passed 260-270lbs.

Prime Shaq would have trouble with Wilt's athleticism and wingspan but once Shaq plants his feet and starts backing up, you can forget it.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

It's travesty that Shaq has only 1 MVP

The most dominant force I ever saw on the court.

 

[FTBS]

I agree with a lot of what you say, I just disagree he was in his athletic prime in 2000. The idea that an athletic prime correlates to a specific age is one of the most fallacious to me in terms of sports (e.g. 27-28). It doesn't account for any number of variables: wear and tear, motivation, injury, personal physiology, lifestyle, etc. Hell, Ian Thorpe is probably the greatest speed swimmer of all-time and he was done by like age 24. I could give countless examples.For instance, I don't think LeBron now (recently 29) is nearly as athletic (speed, agility, quickness, jumping ability, etc) as 24 year old LeBron. Obviously, Lebron is still way at the top of the hierarchy in terms of athleticism. But, this dude is gone:





Athletic prime varies.

Valid point. However I don't think you can say that a 27 year old basketball player (barring major injury or being out of shape of course) would have fallen off so far athletically as to where you can't even compare him to his 23 year old self in that regard.

 

[holidayinn21]

he stayed destroying d-rob.

 

[mastermind]

No,

Thanks

 

[Kobes Two Jerseys]

None of you nikkas that ride or die for Wilt even saw him live. If you did that means you're 50+ posting on the coli. You lose either way.

But on the real what Shaq was doing at that time weighing over 300 would translate to any era. Of course his averages would go up if he's going against the 220-240 lb centers of the past.

And Wilt put up some ridiculous #s but to act like Shaq wasn't incredible is stupid

Why would someover 50 be considered losing if they're posting here?

 

[Kobes Two Jerseys]

• 6× NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987–1988)
• 2× NBA Finals MVP (1971, 1985)
• 6× NBA Most Valuable Player (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980)
• 19× NBA All-Star (1970–1977, 1979–1989)
• 10× All-NBA First Team (1971–1974, 1976–1977, 1980–1981, 1984, 1986)
• 5× All-NBA Second Team (1970, 1978–1979, 1983, 1985)
• 5× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1974–1975, 1979–1981)
• 6× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1970–1971, 1976–1978, 1984)
• NBA Rookie of the Year (1970)
• NBA All-Rookie Team (1970)
• 2× NBA scoring champion (1971–1972)
• 4× NBA blocks leader (1975–1976, 1979–1980)
• NBA rebounding champion (1976)
• Milwaukee Bucks all-time leading scorer
• NBA all-time leading scorer
• No. 33 retired by Milwaukee Bucks
• No. 33 retired by Los Angeles Lakers
• NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team
• 3× NCAA champion (1967–1969)
• 3× NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1967–1969)
• 3× National college player of the year (1967–1969)
• 3× Consensus first team All-American (1967–1969)
• No. 33 retired by UCLA

To add, dude played against more than 35 of the top 50 greatest players ever. Was in the conference finlals 70% of his career, and in the finals 50% of his career. Kareem is the best player, ever.

 

[Kobes Two Jerseys]

But you do need to witness something first hand to have proper perspective for an opinion. Any player that achieved a certain level of greatness is seen favorably over time. Most faults and mistakes are overlooked as years go on so the numbers stay.



And quotes like that make me wanna vomit. Say something with substance. You saw highlight tapes of Wilt and read about Julius Caesar.

You didn't witness when people were bringing slaves over on boats, but you wouldn't hesitate to call it bad or terrible.

 

[Broke Wave]

You didn't witness when people were bringing slaves over on boats, but you wouldn't hesitate to call it bad or terrible.

Damn this is some fukking stone cold L O G I C. Salute my nikka.

 

[martin payne]

that nikka was definitely a problem

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

Anyone that thinks Shaq was all power doesn't really know the game, he was unguardable cause this big muthafukka also had ridiculous footwork, moves and counters. He was basically a M1A1 Abrams tank that somehow had the handling of an F1 car, shyt made no type of sense how agile and quick his feet were.

That shyt was comedy to watch, I remember the routine well. Lakers get back on offense, you see a trailing Shaq glide into the paint and IMMEDIATELY establish position before a nikka even look at him. His defender is literally at his mercy, Kobe or somebody else throws the ball in, one dribble-back down, another dribble-back down, pretty spinning hook shot/dunk, and 1, rinse and repeat. It was nothin nobody could do about it either

I don't wanna make this that kinda thread, but I really wish Shaq had been more mature and took Kobe's advice. If Shaq had taken better care of himself and worked on the weaknesses in his game it would be no discussion who the best player is.

 

[Yogi]

Dream schooled Shaq in that series.

 

[dagreenz]

You didn't witness when people were bringing slaves over on boats, but you wouldn't hesitate to call it bad or terrible.

Maybe I should have made that first sentence more sports related bc you nikkas keep poppin up. Ya'll keep saying statements like this to refute a sports debate. Can you not see how bringing up slavery or Julius Caesar is a lazy association?

Don't forget we are talking about sports....and I was talking about the comparison of a great player we've seen to a great from another era that we haven't. Its hard to ride and die with the man you haven't seen the full picture of bc you are lacking information on that end.

 

[Brozay]

prime Shaq was such a savage