"Criminal" - Shaquille O'Neal enraged after Kobe Bryant snub from Top 10 NBA players ever list; Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird made the cut

Shaquille O'Neal wasn't too thrilled after Kobe Bryant got snubbed from the Top 10 NBA players ever list. O'Neal and Bryant played together for eight seasons with the LA Lakers, winning three NBA championships from 2000 to 2002. Other legends who made the cut were Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird and Tim Duncan.

Bleacher Report shared their latest Top 100 rankings, including the Top 10 composed of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Russell, Shaq, Duncan, Bird, Chamberlain and Steph Curry.

Bryant was at number 11, followed by Hakeem Olajuwon. The list was made by B/R's staff, so it's still up for debate, especially on the internet. Shaq got in on it by pointing out Kobe's place in the rankings.

"Kobe at 11 is criminal," Shaq tweeted.

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Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant didn't see eye-to-eye at times during their careers, but he recognized the greatness of the "Black Mamba." There's no debate that he's the second-greatest shooting guard ever behind Michael Jordan, so he has a claim for being a Top 10 player ever.

However, all the legends above him also have the accolades to back up being in the Top 10. Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain played in a different era, but they are pioneers and had a lot of impact on the game.

Larry Bird has been universally praised by his peers, and the NBA might have never survived if it weren't for him and Magic Johnson. Tim Duncan's personality wasn't good for television, but he's as great as Kobe and Shaq. He has the same number of rings as Kobe and has more MVPs than both LA Lakers legends.

As for Steph Curry, he revolutionized the game of basketball, and his influence will remain for generations to come.

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Who is in Shaquille O'Neal's Top 10 list?

Who is in Shaquille O'Neal's Top 10 list? (Photo: IMAGN)

There's no right or wrong answer when it comes to having your own Top 10 list. Shaquille O'Neal revealed his Top 10 NBA players of all time last month while speaking to Netflix to promote his new series on the platform called "Power Moves."

Here is Shaq's list.

1. Michael Jordan
2. Kobe Bryant
3. LeBron James
4. Magic Johnson
5. Bill Russell
6. Wilt Chamberlain
7. Larry Bird
8. Hakeem Olajuwon
9. Tim Duncan
10. Julius Erving

Shaq removed himself and put Erving, who was one of his favorite players growing up, in the Top 10. He also snubbed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, with whom he wasn't on good terms for years, though they squashed their beef in 2023.

Edited by Juan Paolo David