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Shaquille O'Neal has been stirring up quite a bit of debate on social media with his recent online activity. In addition to posting a controversial list of his top 10 NBA players of all time, the Hall of Famer uploaded a photo of him and five other players on Wednesday.
The caption for the image left fans with a difficult challenge: select one of the six players to come off the bench in a potential starting five. As Shaquille O'Neal wrote in the caption, given that the team inevitably will need a big man, he knows his spot as a starter is safe:
"you need a big man so i kno i’m good so who’s goin to the bench"
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When it comes to selecting one of the five all-time greats to come off the bench, however, things get a bit tricky. The lineup includes a who's who of players, including four-time champion, all-time leading scorer LeBron James, and six-time NBA champ, arguable 'GOAT' Michael Jordan.
In addition, the list includes four-time champ Steph Curry, arguably the greatest shooter of all time, and Kobe Bryant, a five-time champ who needs no introduction. Last but certainly not least, the list includes Kevin Durant, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest scorers of this generation.
Naturally, fans were quick to engage in some heated debates over Shaquille O'Neal's starting five list, with plenty of disagreements in the replies over who deserves to come off the bench.
Looking at the case for who should start alongside Shaquille O'Neal
As Shaq, a three times NBA Finals MVP, wrote, given that the team needs a big man, it's safe to say that his spot as a starter is secured. At the same time, it seems the general consensus among fans is that Michael Jordan's spot as the team's starting shooting guard is also safe.
With that in mind, the potential starting five needs a point guard, small forward and power forward.
While Steph Curry is the only true point guard on Shaquille O'Neal's list, fans remained split in the comments section regarding his role as a starter. On one hand, his off-ball movement and elite 3-point shooting make him an easy choice. However, on the other hand, many have questioned his defense.
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Since LeBron James is bigger and can facilitate the offense, many fans want him to start at the point guard spot. In that case, Kobe Bryant would fill in as the small forward, with Durant starting as the power forward. However, there was also another lineup getting some attention.
Fans who had Steph Curry starting at the point guard spot seemingly had Durant and James fill out the SF and PF spots on the starting five. In that situation, Kobe Bryant was the one bumped to the bench, a move that generated plenty of controversy in its own right.
With no shortage of options, who do you think should get bumped to the bench in Shaquille O'Neal's recent hypothetical? Sound off below!
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