Alonzo Mourning explains how Shaq avoided getting dunked on: 'He used to foul them. Just to keep them off'

When you hear the name Shaquille O'Neal, beyond his fun and energetic persona off the court, fans often think of his undeniable dominance during his prime years. Whether giving opposing teams nightmares while trying to stop his will in the painted area or serving as an immovable pillar of defense, Shaq was a two-way monster.

One of the things “The Diesel” was particularly proud of during his career was the fact that only one player ever managed to put him on a poster, no matter how often high-flyers tried to do so.

However, Alonzo Mourning offered his theory on why the Hall of Fame center never found himself on the wrong side of a highlight reel, and it was quite simple: just foul the guy trying to take off.

“Yeah, he used to foul them. Just to keep them off. You be like, ‘Ain’t nobody dunked on me except for some person.’ He used to just foul ‘em, take ‘em out the air,” Zo said about Shaq’s strategy on the latest episode of “The Big Podcast.”

“I went for the block, I went for the summit, baby, I met them at the rim. The downside is, you get dunked on,” he added.

Zo was not afraid to get posterized

Going up to meet the guy going full speed at the rim took some courage, and there are only two possible outcomes: either the blocker manages to deny a thunderous dunk, or the video of the slam goes viral on every possible social media platform for months, and even years. Mourning was one of those players who never liked giving easy baskets to opponents, even if it often meant ending up on the wrong side of a poster.

Although he often emerged victorious from those aerial battles, Zo was part of one of the most iconic slams of all time. Unfortunately for him, it was the one in which Vince Carter ferociously dunked over him.

“How many times have I blocked Vince Carter’s shot? Quite a few times. They only highlight the one he got over me,” the retired center added.