Back In The Day NBA

NBA Great Makes Choice Between LeBron James And Michael Jordan

Shandel Richardson

Feb 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Lebron James and Michael Jordan on court during halftime during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images
Feb 20, 2022; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Lebron James and Michael Jordan on court during halftime during the 2022 NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images / David Richard-Imagn Images

NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal joined in on the G.O.A.T debate recently.

During a podcast appearance, he was asked about the everlasting argument between Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Without hesitation, O'Neal chose Jordan. It's common for players from Jordan's era to choose him in the discussion.

O'Neal was also asked to choose between former teammate Penny Hardaway and Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving. He chose Hardaway.

SHAQ THREATENED TO LEAVE ORLANDO IN 1993

O'Neal became a fan of Hardaway when the two were filming the movie Blue Chips in 1993.

That's when O'Neal, who was playing for the Orlando Magic at the time, fell in love with Hardaway's game. He even requested the Magic draft Hardaway with the No. 1 pick the summer of 1993 instead of Michigan star Chris Webber.

"I call them and I'm like , `I want this Penny Hardaway kid,"' O'Neal said on his Big Podcast. "They said, `We got the No. 1 pick, we're gonna go with C-Webb."'

That suggestion caused O'Neal to say he was leaving once his rookie contract expired.

"So now, I said, `If you don't get this Penny Hardaway kid, my deal is up in two years, I'm a be looking to do other [stuff]."

The Magic drafted Webber but never told O'Neal their plans until afterward. They chose Webber but traded him to the Golden State Warriors, who drafted Hardaway.

"So they draft C-Webb and I break everything in my house," O'Neal said. "I'm like, `they disrespecting me and think I'm playing. Then I get a phone call from Brian Gabriel. He said, `We about to make a move.' I said, `what?' He said, `Just watch.' Then they brought in Penny. I was like, `Oh (peep)."'

The Hardaway-O'Neal combo led the Magic to the NBA Finals in their second season together.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day Hoops On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com