“Has there ever been a more physically dominant player? I don’t think so” - NBA analyst says despite his funny TV personality Shaquille O’Neal was "no joke" as a player

The NBA has drastically changed over the course of the last two decades. Centers like Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon used to dominate the league, but now it's all about the long-range game.

While it's difficult to compare different eras, there is no doubt that Shaquille O'Neal would still be a dominant player in today's NBA. The 15-time All-Star was a beast on both ends. He was an efficient inside scorer who also helped his team on defense.

Colin Cowherd, who recently picked the 20 greatest NBA players in the last 20 years, included Shaq on his list.

Shaquille O'Neal was fantastic on both ends

Shaquille O'Neal's NBA career concluded with four championships, two scoring titles, 15 All-Star selections and many other accolades. The big man formed an amazing tandem with Kobe Bryant, winning three straight championships in the early 2000s.

O'Neal is a legend, on and off the floor. [Image Credit: Getty Images]

Cowherd ranked Shaquille O'Neal fourth on his list. The NBA analyst explained how Shaq is now a funny TV personality, but that he was no joke when he played.

"An unstoppable force. A two-time champ. A Finals MVP. The Kobe-Shaq dynasty was an all-timer. ... A Hall of Famer, his jersey retired by both the Lakers and the Heat. Has there ever been a more physically dominant than Shaquille O'Neal? I don't think so."

Shaq was dominant in both the regular season and the playoffs. As a matter of fact, he was named a Finals MVP three times and a regular-season MVP once.

Even in the late stages of his career, when he was way past his prime, O'Neal found ways to contribute to his teams. He retired in 2011, five years after his last championship ring.

After his NBA career, O'Neal has become a popular NBA analyst as well as a successful businessman. Even if Shaq did not have a 3-point shot, he would most likely dominate in today's NBA too.

After all, there aren't many players in the league who'd be capable of stopping him inside.

Top three players on Colin Cowherd's list

Colin Cowherd only ranked Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James ahead of O'Neal. According to the analyst, O'Neal is the best big man the NBA has seen in the past 20 years.

LeBron James is the number one, according to Colin Cowherd. [Image Credit: Getty Images]

Curry deserved his spot as he revolutionized the game with his 3-point shooting. He has also won multiple championships and scoring titles, just like Kobe Bryant, who is ranked second.

The top of the list belongs to LeBron James. This is not surprising at all, considering everything the LA Lakers forward has won since entering the league.