The #8 Player of All-Time (2021 Edition) - Shaquille O'Neal

Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal was born on March 6, 1972 in Newark, New Jersey.  

Now, imagine, if you will, that your reputation was that you dogged it in the regular season, were routinely out of shape, and just turned it on for the playoffs at the last second.  Now imagine that your regular season awards included an MVP, 8x First Team All-NBAs, 2 2nds and 4 3rds.  And imagine that your stats included this run:

23-14 & 3.5 blocks

29-13-2.9

29-11-2.4

26-11-2.1

26-12-2.9

28-11-2.9

26-11-2.5

29.7-13.6-3.0

29-13-2.8

27-11-2

27-11-2.4

22-11-2.5

23-10-2.3

Most 21-10-2 seasons?  Shaq.

1	Shaquille O'Neal	1993	2005	TOT	NBA	12
2	Hakeem Olajuwon	1986	1996	HOU	NBA	11
3	Kareem Abdul-Jabbar	1974	1981	TOT	NBA	8
4	David Robinson	1990	1998	SAS	NBA	8
5	Tim Duncan	1998	2004	SAS	NBA

Shaq still finished Top 5 in MVP balloting 8x.  Shaq is still 7th all-time in regular season MVP Award Shares, despite his reputation.  

That is the amazing thing about Shaq (4 titles, 3 FMVPs, reached 6 Finals with 3 teams), there is no doubt he could have been WAAAAAAAY better in the regular season,  Yet he's 15th in rebounds, 9th in blocks, 10th in points, 13th in WS, 4th in PER.  

Then in the playoffs?  My lord, look at all of the black ink.  At some point in time, he led the playoffs in scoring, rebounding, blocks, WS, WS/48, VORP.

His 1999-2000 season and playoffs is a Top 10 season of all-time.  How is your favorite guy's peak?  Well, if it is 1999-2000 Shaq, that is quite a peak.

Adjusted shooting for his career?  3,800 without free throws, 2,800 with free throws.  Effective FG% Plus for his career?  120 (120% of league average).  My lord.  

So if I love Shaq so much, (1) why don't I marry him, and (2) why #8?  Well, you just have to deduct some points for his 1 MVP and his constant missing of games in his prime.  That hurts your team.  He won his conference titles with Penny and Kobe and Wade, and he got a LOT out of those guys in the deep playoff runs.  They made his life a little easier.  

What you see with Shaq is he is a Top 5 all-time playoff performer and probably a top 10 regular season player.  That doesn't get you a top 5 rating.  I'm gonna give him #8.  Has an argument for a couple higher; has an argument for a couple lower.