NBA legend Julius Erving turned a lot of heads recently when he revealed his list of top 10 NBA players of all time. Erving clearly had an affinity for those who played before or during his era, and while numerous Los Angeles Lakers made the list, such as Elgin Baylor, Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, there were others who were notable for their absence such as Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal.
Erving leaving those three legends as well as Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry off of his list rubbed some the wrong way. The Hall of Famer noted that he left Curry and LeBron off the list because their careers aren’t over yet, but that says nothing about O’Neal and Bryant not being listed.
Even still, O’Neal is not one of those who is angry at Erving. The Lakers legend recently revealed his own top 10 list, which somehow turned into a top 11, in an interview with Broderick Turner of the L.A. Times, before making it clear that he is just fine with Erving’s list:
He said his first team, in no particular order, was Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and then [expletive] me.”
“That ain’t no disrespect to Malone, [Charles] Barkley and Kareem,” O’Neal said. “Hey, that’s my list. Understand what I’m saying?”
O’Neal said coming off his bench would be Curry, Allen Iverson, Tim Duncan, Malone and Isiah Thomas.
“Yeah,” O’Neal said. “And you can quote me on that.”
O’Neal paused for a moment, adding, “also, you got to put Kareem on that second team too,” which, of course, is now a top 11.
But who’s counting?
“Dr. J has his list and I have my list,” O’Neal said. “I’m all good with Dr. J’s list.”
Coincidentally, O’Neal’s list is likely to have some people questioning him as well with the inclusion of Allen Iverson and Karl Malone over the likes of Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird and Hakeem Olajuwon. But in the end, it is his list.
As O’Neal said, Erving is someone who paved the way and thus his list shouldn’t be criticized by anyone. That same belief applies to his list as well as in the end, any lists like this are pretty subjective.
Stephen Curry, James Harden list Lakers legends Shaquille O’Neal & Kobe Bryant on all-time starting 5
When it comes to the current generation, both O’Neal and his legendary Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant are rarely left off any list, as was the case with a pair of former MVPs in Stephen Curry and James Harden.
Both listed O’Neal and Bryant within their all-time starting five. Curry also had Lakers legend Magic Johnson along with Tim Duncan and Michael Jordan, while Harden also had Duncan and Jordan, but replaced Magic with LeBron James.
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