“I’m Jealous”: Shaq Admits Envy of Michael Jordan & LeBron James Before Naming His GOAT

Over 240 NBA players grace the Hall of Fame, yet only three deserve a place in the greatest-of-all-time conversation, according to Shaquille O’Neal. Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant.

However, despite having one of the most dominant careers in NBA history, O’Neal did not include himself in the list. That’s the one thing he envies after having retired in 2011. “I’m jealous,” O’Neal admitted, envious of LeBron and Jordan being in the GOAT debate.

“When it comes to the top players in the game, I’m kind of jealous that my name ain’t mentioned,” O’Neal admitted during his appearance on Free Range W/Von Miller.

“Like my title is the most dominant ever. It’s cool. But like when they say the greatest player ever, they don’t mention me. They only mention two people, but they should be mentioning three.”

He further elaborated, stating that Kobe Bryant’s name should be on the list along with LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

However, despite his contributions, LeBron James isn’t Shaquille O’Neal’s choice when it comes to the GOAT conversation. It’s also not his former teammate Kobe Bryant.

“They all did great things, but if you ask me who the greatest is,” O’Neal revealed. “I’m going with Mike. And before Mike, it was Dr. J.”

Despite his envy of Jordan being firmly among the top three in the GOAT debate, Shaq still considers him the greatest.

Michael Jordan gave the sport a new high while Julius Winfield Erving II inspired him and many others afterwards. O’Neal giving the two legends their flowers shows the depth of his understanding of the sport and its history.

It’s also brilliant to see him defend the legacy of Kobe Bryant, a player he frequently and openly fought with on many issues during their time playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.

As for LeBron, according to O’Neal, his “legacy is already set,” so it doesn’t really matter how he does this year. That is, unless James goes home with a trophy.

James is, of course, the only one of the three to still be competing. The NBA legend is currently with his new team, the 76ers, who hold an 11-3 record in the regular season so far. James is averaging 15.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 6.9 assists per game after the 76ers’ November 15 win against the Pacers, which is impressive for a player his age.

He’s completed over 60,000 regular-season minutes and over 40,000 points in his career. James has played with iconic teams like the Cavaliers and the Lakers in the past. In many ways, he’s one of the last few standing giants of a bygone era.

And yet, he’s still competing. That speaks volumes about his legacy. No wonder O’Neal feels like it’s already set in stone. A Hall of Fame induction is basically waiting for him upon retirement.

That being said, Shaquille O’Neal does not feel like his time with the 76ers is a side quest for James. “Yeah. It’ll be great for him to come in the way he came out and leave with a championship. It’ll be great,” the NBA legend said.

But will the 76ers take the trophy home? The team is doing well so far, but there are many great teams in their way. Furthermore, many have expressed concerns about James’ age and performance on the team. At this stage in the competition, there’s just no way to know where they’ll end up.

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