Shannon Sharpe arrived on the set of First Take with the intent to stir something. Sharpe raised more than a few brows ranking his top 3 NBA centers of all time. It went smoothly for the first two. The third was a plot twist because it was Shaquille O’Neal. The same big man who feuded with him a month ago about the NBA MVP discussion. While he doesn’t think Shaq’s MVP standing is that high, he’s a better center in his opinion.

Sharpe declared, “I got Kareem one, Wilt two, I got Shaq three,” live on air. Sharpe said that Wilt Chamberlain is statistically more dominant, which is why Shaq is third. It’s not because he thinks Shaq is jealous of Nikola Jokic winning MVP titles early in his career or being slammed in DJ Diesel’s diss track.

The debate that ensued was of another kind. Sharpe’s co-host and Shaq’s old friend, Stephen A. Smith, agreed with the list but made a small case for what sets Shaq apart from Wilt. “Wilt has a nemesis that got nine more titles straight up against him. You know, straight up versus him in that era. Nobody would have done that to Shaq. That’s the difference.”

Smith is saying Chamberlain had an arch-nemesis in Mr. 11 Rings, Bill Russell. Evidently, Shaq had opponents, never an archrival he went head to head with. There was no Bird to his Magic or Caitlin Clark to his Angel Reese. What he did was form iconic partnerships on the court with Penny Hardaway, Kobe Bryant, and Dwyane Wade. That’s the reason he claims to be dominant.

When Shaq dropped by NBA TV during the recent NBA Finals, O’Neal said he was not the best player during the Lakers’ three-peat but he made up for it by being ‘dominant.’ He indirectly declared Kobe the best player of the Lakers dynasty. Shaq maintained this stance for years, including in late 2023, when he asserted, “I’m the most dominant player to ever step on a basketball court.”

It’s a debate about ‘dominant,’ not the best center. And Smith has someone who agrees with him.

Kevin Garnett didn’t want to be Shaquille O’Neal’s rival

In 2000, Shaquille O’Neal won his first MVP trophy in a near-unanimous vote, a discussion that was at the heart of his feud with Sharpe. In second place came Kevin Garnett for leading the Wolves to the playoffs. After First Take shared the clip on social media with a simple question, “Agree with [Shannon Sharpe]?” Garnett had a take similar to Smith.

“See…. Haaa… this what I’m talking about! LINE EM ALL UP .. all those names you mentioned NEVER PLAYED AGAINST THE MOST AGILE 330 lb big ever!!! STOP IT… it’s no debate.. My opinion RESPECTFULLY,” Kevin Garnett commented under the post. If the selective usage of the uppercase is not emphatic enough, the saluting emojis add to it.

Garnett didn’t dare to be Shaq’s opponent. He said in 2022, “Thank God Shaq was raised right,” because O’Neal was brutal on his opponents. That’s why he chose to not guard the 7’1″ giant. This is, of course, only Sharpe and Garnett’s personal opinions in a raging debate. But does a lack of archrivals make Shaq dominant?

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.