Shaquille O’Neal and Michael Jordan (Photo by Imagn Images)

Shaquille O’Neal Doubles Down on Michael Jordan GOAT Case With Unmatched Record Argument

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Kenny Nosay | Last updated Mar 23, 2026 2:37 AM ET

With another regular season in the NBA winding down, it’s time for another round of the ‘greatest of all time’ debate. In this latest edition of GOAT talks, former superstar big man Shaquille O’Neal chimed in on his opinion on who’s the best ever to do it.

In the last ten years, most discussions of who’s the greatest have centered on either Michael Jordan or LeBron James. Others point out the mystery surrounding Jordan’s life in contrast to James’ very public rise. But for Shaq, he’s dead set on choosing the former Chicago Bulls great when it comes to the GOAT debate due to a specific reason.

“Mike [Jordan] is the greatest of all time because of how he played, how he dominated, and he never lost in the finals. So, I know a lot of people going to see this like you said and ‘oh, he doing this and he do that,” Shaquille O’Neal said on his podcast.

Shaq says Michael Jordan is the GOAT because he never lost in the Finals

"Mike is the greatest of all time because of how he played, how he dominated, and he never lost in the finals. So, I know a lot of people going to see this like you said and 'oh, he doing this and he do… pic.twitter.com/pT3E2UTeGG
— NBA Base (@TheNBABase) March 22, 2026

“I played with Kobe [Bryant], I know what a killer he was, but to me as a kid and going against him, then being the only guy to beat him in the playoffs for him to retire after three and then come back and get three, yeah, he was a different animal,” he added.

O’Neal entered the league in 1992 and faced Jordan in the 1995 NBA Finals. He witnessed Mike and the Bulls dominate the league. He also played against LeBron James. Both were even teammates for a short time with the Cavaliers.

Seeing both players at their heyday, it’s hard to argue Shaq’s logic here.

Shaquille O’Neal Doesn’t Shy Away From Controversial Takes

There’s no denying that Shaquille O’Neal has been one of the most vocal players-turned-analysts over the past decade. And nobody is safe from his tirade. Even his former teams, like the Los Angeles Lakers or Miami Heat, are susceptible to his criticisms.

Shaquille O’Neal (Image Credit: Imagn)

But the good thing is that, whenever he gets something wrong, he normally goes on air to apologize. He knows that nothing is certain when it comes to the NBA. He’s just doing his job the way he sees it, which usually comes from his personal experience with the game.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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