Discussion Question: Where Does Shaquille O’Neal Rank All-Time?

Yesterday easily one of the greatest players to ever play the game, Shaquille O’Neal, retired from the NBA. O’Neal left the game after a 19 year career that included 4 Championships, and leading 3 different teams to the Finals. He dominated from day one, averaging 20 or more points his first 14 years in the league.

Shaq very well could be argued as the most dominate player of all-time (not necessarily greatest as injuries took a toll). When he first came into the league, there were a number of elite centers patrolling the paint, (Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, etc.) and none could slow him down. Later in his career he still was all that that the Andrew Bynum’s and Dwight Howard’s of the league could handle. Only a handful of NBA players have been able dominate over such a long period of time.

Where does O’Neal rank all-time? I’d right now put him 5th behind Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. What do you guys think?