“LeBron [James] Is the Best All-Around”: Shaquille O’Neal, Who Refused to Call Michael Jordan the GOAT, Endorses Strong Belief on Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry

As generations pass, there emerge a few stars who become contenders in the almighty GOAT talk. Basketball purists have dried up their throats and nearly lost their voices trying to vouch for their pick. The majority of the conversation revolves around two icons – LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Yet they aren’t the only ones boasting a decorated resume worthy of the mantle. So is there a way every generational talent can have their rightful place?

In a recent Instagram story, Shaquille O’Neal might have found a way. Completely ignoring the GOAT criteria, the Big Diesel agreed to some strong opinions.

Shaquille O’Neal appreciates Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and more

Previously, Shaq has played around with the greatest debate. He has never had a stable pick, however. For the most part, he did believe Michael Jordan was the cream of the crop. But once LeBron James broke through Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s four-decade-long scoring record, he made it seem the King was the only one fit for the title.

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A few years prior, the Big Diesel even ranked Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon over His Airness. Such debates often bring backlash, as each of the greats has a gigantic fan following. Straying away from the topic entirely, the four-time champion somehow gave both James and Jordan their flowers, along with a few other notable superstars.

The Diesel shared an Instagram story, which contained judgments most basketball stans would agree with. The story stated:

• MJ was the most unstoppable
• LeBron is the best all around
• Kobe was the hardest-working
• KD is the most skilled scorer
• Curry is the best shooter

There are arguably the most popular opinions among the fans as well. And it indeed is a way to appreciate the greatness of some of the finest and most charismatic superstars the game has ever seen.

Jordan, as a scorer, was ruthless. From the opening tip to the buzzer, his motive was to score as much as possible. A ten-time scoring champion was unheard of before him, and above that, he was a tenacious defender.

LeBron James has a blend that took the basketball world by storm since his entrance on the big stage. He opened up the spot beside Jordan with his mastery of nearly all aspects of the game. Kobe Bryant was the epitome of hard work. He left it all out on the floor for 20 years, never losing his intense desire to win.

Then there is Kevin Durant, a 7-foot forward who is a three-dimensional scorer. He can handle the ball like a guard, and move rapidly through the floor. It’s a unique gift that to this day, no franchise has found a stop to. Lastly, Stephen Curry changed the modern game forever. His unearthly talent to shoot the ball gave birth to the three-point era. He is already the three-point king of the NBA, and the Baby Face Assassin is far from done.

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Will this stop the media and others from crowning their GOAT? Most likely not. However, this is a way to appreciate multiple legends for a skill they were well renowned for. Do you agree with Shaq’s method of assessing the greats? Let us know what you think in the comments below.