Apart from being the former President, Barrack Obama is also a 5x Emmy Award winner. Now, he also dons the hat of a producer with his wife as they started Higher Ground back in 2018. For the promotional tour of its latest venture, the 44th U.S. President placed his confidence in his all-time favorite starters, “I’m feeling pretty good about that five beating just about anybody.” The list included Michael Jordan, but the exclusion of Shaquille O’Neal caused a huge debate.

When there is debate about Shaq or Shaq’s take, how can people forget Shannon Sharpe? But on his podcast, he disagreed with Obama’s starting 5, and even though he wanted to include the Lakers legend, he couldn’t. “I’m gonna take Bron at the three, I’mma take Jordan at the two, I’mma take Magic at the point. I gotta take the best power forward ever play, I’m gonna take Tim Duncan and since you got Shaq, I can’t take Shaq, I’ll take Karem.” Hence, on his Nightcap show, his co-host Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson had already selected O’Neal, Sharpe could not choose him.

For himself, Johnson chose, “AI at the point, Kobe at the two, I got Steph at the three, I got KD at the four and I got Shaq. I want Shaq.” Sharpe wasn’t on board with the choice as he pointed out the team was “small” because of 6-foot Iverson and 6-feet-2 Stephen Curry. The reason why Ocho is sure about Shaquille O’Neal pick is because he considers the 4x NBA Champion as MDE. “Why wouldn’t we go with the most dominant big man of all time, especially in his prime I would have put Shaq.”

Let’s look back at the reasons why Obama excluded Shaquille O’Neal, and his reasons for selecting other picks. Being a Chicago native, Michael Jordan was always a nailed starter. “I’m from Chicago—MJ, Michael Jordan, at shooting guard.” He would also select the trios from the ‘Avengers 2024 Olympic Team.’ LeBron James at the point forward, because he can replicate the performance like Magic Johnson. Plus, his “friend Steph Curry” as he considered the Warriors star “the greatest shooter of all time, bar none.”

Adding Kevin Durant to the squad “who may be the most efficient, effective scorer in the history of basketball.” Efficiency in today’s game was also the reason why Barack Obama selected Hakeem Olajuwon over Shaquille O’Neal. “Whose game I think translates to today’s game. He was such an amazing athlete, an anchor on defense, and he’s going to give you everything you need out of the center position.” Similar to Sharpe, his ESPN co-host also disagreed with the inclusion of the ‘Dream.’

$100 million man disagrees with Barack Obama’s Starting Five exclusion of Shaquille O’Neal

Before disagreeing, Stephen A Smith did list out more than a few accolades of Olajuwon. From being a 2x champion, a great defensive player, a Hall of Famer. Plus, he recalled the defensive hold the former Rockets center had on other players like David Robinson and Patrick Ewing. Despite these reasons, Smith said, “But I still got to go with the Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal.”

Further, he stated how Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell are his favorites, but still would select the Big Aristotle. “I’m thinking the dominance, the girth, the mass, the size, the power, the indomitable presence that Shaquille O’Neal was compared with those brothers.” Similarly, even Shaq considers himself the Most Dominating Ever, and would only have Wilt Chamberlain’s name alongside.

The reason behind Shaq’s logic is simple: he failed to pass Chamberlain in points but has more trophies than him. So, that’s why even Shannon Sharpe, Chad Johnson, and Stephen A Smith all consider the 3x Finals MVP in their starting 5.