Shaquille O’Neal is one of the most dominant and imposing figures in NBA history. His size and the manner in which he’d bully defenders in the post helped make him one of the greatest players to ever play in the association. He always figured out how to use his strength to his advantage, but he wasn’t the only incredibly strong player in the league.
In fact, he once named the strongest NBA players that he’d come up against. Per Essentially Sports, he picked four stars that he’d played against and they are all some of the best basketball players of all time.
The Four Strongest Players Shaq Faced Include One of His Close Friends
When asked to name the strongest players in the NBA, Shaq said:
“I guess, [Patrick] Ewing and [Hakeem] Olajuwon. Karl Malone’s pretty strong too. [Charles] Barkley’s pretty strong too.”
Patrick Ewing
The first name that Shaq mentioned, Patrick Ewing was known for his brute nature inside the post and he never made it easy for defenders trying to contain him. He was a force to be reckoned with and left a lasting impact, despite never managing to get his hands on a championship.
Hakeem Olajuwon
The next player that Shaq named was Hakeem Olajuwon. Considered one of the greatest defenders to ever play in the NBA, he utilised his strength better than almost anyone and had no trouble locking down the opposition. He was drafted two places ahead of Michael Jordan in the 1984 NBA Draft and it’s a testament to how good Olajuwon was that this isn’t considered a total blasphemy.
Karl Malone
Next up is one of the all-time leading scorers in NBA history in Karl Malone. The Postman earned his nickname for his incredible work in the paint and dominated opponents using his strength. He was the immovable force, scoring at will and he did so for nearly two decades in the association. He was as strong as they come and made a major impression on O’Neal.
Charles Barkley