Overview
- Shaquille O’Neal told the New York Post he would pick himself first and, excluding himself, choose LeBron James over Kobe Bryant as a No. 1 overall franchise cornerstone.
- O’Neal explained his June 13 remark by saying LeBron arrived in the league already capable of anchoring a franchise while Kobe took two to three years to develop into a team leader.
- The comment is notable because Shaq and Kobe won three straight championships together with the Lakers from 2000 to 2002 and Shaq has long defended Kobe’s place in all-time debates.
- Reporters link the timing of Shaq’s choice to renewed focus on LeBron’s legacy after a recent Time interview and to LeBron’s continued high-level play late in his career.
- Coverage across multiple outlets treated the remark as opinionated commentary likely to reignite fan debate and to illustrate how different criteria — immediate impact versus long-term growth — shape all-time player rankings.