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Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most dominant players in NBA history. His ability to torment defenses with his size in the paint helped him win four championships and three Finals MVP awards. Not many could stop the big man from imposing his will.
Several players from the league have shared their stories from guarding Shaq in his prime. During a recent episode where the "Road Trippin" podcast collaborated with "The Long Shot" podcast, Channing Frye shared his story of guarding Shaquille O'Neal.
"I caught O5 Shaq... and if you look at the video, you're like damn he's so big, as a human being he's not supposed to move like that. I was playing in New York, we're up and I know he probably went out the night before so I'm like not gonna say sh*t right, Imma just let this game go by.
"Third quarter comes and he's doing okay, they're down six, he looks at me, he's like, 'Okay, good game little Frye, we gotta win this now,' and boops and basically f***s me up for the whole quarter. There's no fouling, imagine trying to foul a tree moving like a cat, just dunk after hook shot after dunk. It's just impossible to move a human that big and that mean."
Channing Frye was a tall and athletic presence on the court. He was listed to be seven feet tall, which is why he was given the assignment of guarding Shaq.
Frye made his way into the league in 2005. Shaquille O'Neal was playing for the Miami Heat during that time. Although he was not at his very best back then, Shaq was still strong enough to get the better of opponents.
He was not fazed by double teams as he had the skill to power through them all and get to the basket.
How good was Shaquille O'Neal during his prime years?
Shaquille O'Neal had a long career that spanned over 19 years. He played for six NBA franchises and retired as one of the most successful centers in the league. His dominance in the paint was unparalleled and made him a force to be reckoned with.
He won championships, MVP trophies and Finals MVPs in his career. But many believe that if he had taken care of his body, Shaq could have won a lot more in the league.
During his early days with the Orlando Magic, Shaquille O'Neal gained a lot of attention for breaking backboards. He also made regular All-Star and All-NBA appearances.
However, he wanted to win a championship and that was when the big man moved to the LA Lakers. Shaq teamed up with Kobe Bryant to lead the Purple and Gold to three championships. His dominance was such that he won the Finals MVP trophy in all those three years.
When things didn't work out well between him and Kobe, Shaq decided to join the Miami Heat. While he was still dominant, Dwyane Wade was the first option. However, O'Neal did play a big role in helping the team win the 2006 NBA championship.
The 50-year-old had weaknesses in his game as well. One of his biggest flaws was his inability to shoot free throws. He was one of the most fouled players in the league but only shot at 52.7% from free throws in his career. But the big man never let that affect him. He continued dominating the game and making life hard for the defenses.
After Shaq retired from the league, there weren't many bigs that dominated the league like he did. Although Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid have shown up now, there aren't many that could instill fear in opponents like Shaq.
