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The debate over the greatest basketball player of all time may never be settled, as everyone has their own opinion.
More often than not, the conversation comes down to LeBron James or Michael Jordan. However, according to fellow NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, neither holds the title.
Instead, O’Neal revealed during an interview with Overtime that, in his eyes, the greatest player in basketball history is Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
During the interview, O’Neal was asked to react when he hears a name better than Curry. Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, Magic Johnson, James, Jordan — even O’Neal himself — were brought up. He remained silent each time before finally delivering his answer:
“Steph is the GOAT," O'Neal said.
While Curry certainly has a strong resume — as a four-time NBA champion, widely regarded as the greatest shooter of all time, an 11-time All-Star, two-time MVP, 11-time All-NBA selection, and the holder of numerous regular-season and postseason franchise and league records — it is still a bold take to place him above players such as James and Jordan.
Yet O’Neal has long been one of Curry’s biggest supporters in this debate. Back in 2023, he even said, “I’m wondering if it’s time to start putting [Steph Curry] as the best player of all time.” When Kenny Smith followed up by asking if he would put Curry over himself, O’Neal kept it simple:
“Yes.”
English (US)