Why Shaquille O’Neal Is Not Better Than Stephen Curry?

Shaquille O’Neal said that Curry is better than him. It is hard to dissect what it meant but many fans interpreted it as a suggestion that the Warriors swift-shooting guard put up a better legacy than his

Debating the skill and strength of two NBA players who play different positions is probably pointless, but discussing their legacies will be simple.

Over the weekend, Shaquille O’Neal, a big man, made news for the manner he complimented Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. 

He claimed that Curry is superior to him at the NBA on TNT. It’s difficult to analyze, but many fans took it to signify that the Warriors’ quick-shooting guard had a greater legacy than he had.

This is also because he presented a novel viewpoint, arguing that Curry ought to be included in the debate about who the greatest players of all time are—a debate that is primarily dominated by players like Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, and Bill Russell.

Shaq remarked on the broadcast, “I’ve never seen a guy like him. I played for 20 years, and I watched for 20 years before that.” “And he keeps doing it every time. He has also won titles.”

“I’m wondering if it’s time to start putting him as the best player of all time – in the conversation.”

Shaq’s statement has a lot of implications to consider. Another piece on the GOAT issue is warranted.

Was Shaq’s assessment of his and Steph’s careers accurate? Most likely, he is.

Three areas where Chef Curry excels above Shaq in general:

1. Transformed the game

Curry has won two MVPs this season compared to the other’s one, yet they are tied for the most NBA titles. In the league’s history, this has only happened once, when one of those MVPs was chosen as the unanimous winner.

Steph is superior than the former Los Angeles Lakers great in this one area only.

Curry is one of the select few players that truly transformed the game of basketball. Shaq is not capable of being described in that way.

Curry elevated the art of three-point shooting. Right now, everyone is playing their game outside. Curry has made it necessary for teams to chase the three-point line. Nowadays, there are more logo shots. 

They claim that basketball is a big man’s sport, but Curry disproved that notion.

2. The legacy of basketball and its cultural significance

Although Shaq is without a doubt the greatest dominant big man of all time, no one can definitively declare so. Curry has the upper hand on him there. The greatest shooter of all time is thought to be the league’s all-time leading three-point scorer.

Curry opened up basketball to a global audience by making it simpler and more approachable. Prior to him, the game was already becoming widely popular, but when he reached his pinnacle, he elevated it even farther.

He is superior than Shaq for yet another reason: he elevated the Warriors from a pitiful team to a consistent contender. Prior to the middle of the 2010s, the Warriors were not considered a major market team; but, because of the career that Curry developed, the franchise is now valued in the billions.

Shaq, however, joined the Lakers, a team that was already well-known thanks to Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.

3. Pursuing rings

This has to do with the previous point. Curry started from scratch and turned the Warriors into a serious contender. With the Orlando Magic, the team that picked him, O’Neal was unable to succeed.

This acknowledges Curry’s influence on the Warriors rather than disparaging what Shaq accomplished for the Lakers and Miami Heat.

A star player winning a championship with the team that picked him is an extremely uncommon occurrence. A player of his caliber would typically beg to be traded after becoming irritated by the weak supporting cast.

Curry persevered and showed patience, but this is due to more than just the franchise’s choice. The Warriors were able to succeed because they were able to leverage his shooting ability to create a compelling system.