Shaquille O'Neal seemingly agrees with Michael Jordan's views on physicality in the 90s: "These kids don't have a clue"

Shaquille O'Neal entered the NBA just as Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls began their dynasty in the 90s. The Orlando Magic made Shaq the No. 1 pick in the 1992 NBA Draft, a year after Jordan’s Bulls won their first championship. O’Neal’s 1995 Magic team was the last group to beat Chicago in the playoffs during the Jordan era.

O’Neal was already dominant when he came into the NBA. He was considered the second coming of Wilt Chamberlain because of the way he overpowered opponents. The big man gave as much as he took when it came to being physical.

Shaquille O'Neal retired in 2011 and has made a name for himself as a basketball analyst for TNT. Over the years, he has always maintained that basketball in the '90s was more physical. He has even wondered about how many of today’s big men would fare back in the rough and tumble days of his first decade in the league.

O’Neal’s thoughts about those years were captured by Michael Jordan in an interview that Shaq reposted on Instagram:

“These kids don’t even have a clue of how we had to grow up or how we had to play. Physically, it was a much more physical game than what it is today. We couldn’t walk across the lane without getting checked or screens, illegal screens, or holding.

"You always had to pay a price to be there. If you were aggressive and guarding an old guy and you go in, you go in with the understanding that ‘I’m gonna get hit and I’m gonna pay the price.’ But, that’s part of the game. I’m not gonna be afraid to go inside.”

Michael Jordan took his lumps, particularly against the Detroit Pistons in the late 80s. The “Bad Boys” made him pay almost every time he attacked the rim. Jordan never quit and eventually conquered the physical and unforgiving Pistons.

Shaquille O'Neal had his fair share of bruising battles as well. Teams would rather hack him than allow him an easy dunk. O’Neal was a behemoth, but the fouls he took were also punishing. Some of the hardest common fouls he had to endure are now worthy of an ejection in today’s NBA.

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Shaquille O'Neal was once terrified of Michael Jordan

Shaquille O'Neal is arguably the most dominant player in NBA history. He was big but mobile, and his skills were staggering. Guarding him often required the entire team.

As overpowering as O’Neal was, he was still terrified of Michael Jordan. Here’s what he had to say in an interview with Logan Paul about facing “His Airness”:

(28:19 mark)

“He’s the only man that had me terrified on the court. Because I went from high school, admiring him, in college, admiring him, admiring him and then he’s right there in front you and all the sh*t you see on your poster like he’s doing it in real life like he came by me so fast sometimes I was like oh sh*t.

Shaquille O'Neal may have been terrified of Michael Jordan, but he took his lessons well. Shaq eventually carried a franchise to a championship. O’Neal (2000-2002) became the first player since MJ to win three straight NBA Finals MVPs.