After Kareem Abdul-Jabbar retired in 1989, the NBA welcomed many great centers with unique skill sets. Some were quick off their feet, while some exerted brute force to score.
KAJ shares his favorite
Even though retired, Kareem kept a close eye on the next generation of bigs. Houston Rockets legend Hakeem Olajuwon was one who stood out among the rest. Abdul-Jabbar was so impressed with 'The Dream' that he chose him over another legendary Los Angeles Lakers center.
"Shaquille (O'Neal) is certainly a force to be reckoned with," says Abdul-Jabbar, per the Chicago Tribune. "And he's going to be around a long time. But I think Hakeem is clearly a better player. He can do more things on the court."
Cap dropped those comments in January 1995, as Olajuwon was about to guide the Rockets to a second consecutive title and was widely considered the best center then.
Meanwhile, the young Shaq was just in his third year in the NBA but was averaging close to 30 points and over ten rebounds per game. He was clearly the best young center then.
Interestingly, Kareem chose Hakeem over Shaq. Maybe because, like him, 'The Dream' relied on finesse rather than brute force. To an extent, the six-time NBA Champion saw himself in the Rockets center.
Related: "We might be talking about the greatest player who ever played" - Larry Brown said he could've made Allen Iverson the GOAT
Shaq's Mt. Rushmore of centers
Later in that season, Shaq and Hakeem faced off in the 1995 NBA Finals. The Rockets dominated O'Neal's Orlando Magic and booted them out in four games.
It was a critical stage in Shaquille's career. The heartbreaking loss taught him how to win. In a landmark move, O'Neal joined the Lakers and won three straight chips with Kobe Bryant.
Despite winning more rings than Olajuwon, the Big Diesel did not see himself as superior to his former foe. He even placed The Dream in his Mt. Rushmore of centers .
"You gotta go with Mr. Russell for championships," Shaq said . "You gotta go with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You gotta go with Hakeem Olajuwon 'coz I couldn't stop that motherf*****. And you gotta go with the other most dominant player, Wilt Chamberlain."
As they say, real recognizes real. O'Neal didn't feel bitter that Abdul-Jabbar chose Olajuwon over him. That loss in the NBA Finals definitely hurt, but like a true competitor, Shaq took the defeat with his head held high, knowing he did his best against a legend.
Related: "Dream is No.1 by far" - Robert Horry picks Hakeem over Shaq and Tim Duncan as the greatest big man ever
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