"He never gets talked about as being one of the best players ever" - Metta World Peace claims he wouldn't shy away from calling Shaquille O'Neal the best NBA player of all time

Former All-Star Metta World Peace has high praise for former Los Angeles Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal. When asked about his top five greatest players of all time, Metta decided to go old school and name players from past eras.

The former Defensive Player of the Year was among the most recognizable players in the 2000s. Metta had the chance to play against Michael Jordan when he was with the Washington Wizards. He also went up against Shaq and Kobe Bryant. World Peace would play with Kobe during the early 2010s, winning a championship together.

The player formerly known as "Ron Artest" sat down with the "I AM ATHLETE PODCAST," where they tackled several basketball topics. He named Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James his five greatest players of all time. While he didn't mention Shaquille O'Neal in his top five, he still gave him heavy praise.

"sometimes I put Shaq [at] number one." Metta World Peace said as he ended his top five list.

"He never get talked about as being one of the best players ever."

Metta ended with this statement about Shaquille O'Neal:

"I think he can make a case that 'Nobody can stop me'."

Nick Young, World Peace's former teammate, asked where he ranks Magic Johnson. Metta said Magic hovers around the 5th and 6th spots.

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Shaquille O'Neal's decorated career gives him a chance to be in the GOAT discussion

2022 NBA All-Star Game

Many fans today know Shaquille O'Neal as a former NBA player who has many endorsements and argues with Charles Barkley on TV. Shaq seems to be enjoying his post-NBA career as an analyst for Inside the NBA. Newer NBA fans missed out on his on-court dominance.

Racking up individual and team awards, Shaq took the league by storm. He immediately became a fan favorite when he was selected first in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. He was named an All-Star his first year and won Rookie of the Year. He led the Magic to the Finals in 1995, but they got swept by the Houston Rockets, led by Hakeem Olajuwon.

Shaq would finally win a championship in his fourth season with the Lakers, winning the Finals MVP award. He and Bryant led the Lakers to three straight titles.

Shaquille O'Neal became a staple in the All-Star game, making 15 All-Star teams and winning the MVP three times. The two-time scoring champ has a case to make in the GOAT discussion. Metta World Peace is correct; many fans don't give Diesel enough credit for his accomplishments.