Shaq Vs Hakeem: Who’s the GREATER Center? (Versus Series #3)

1-on-1 Tournament: Shaq, Hakeem, Wilt, Russell, Kareem… who wins? ERROR: At one point I say Shaq was the worst Free Throw shooter in the league 8 times, but the text says 10... it is in fact 8. Sorry, its the struggle of making final edits at 2:30am. lol

In the words of Shaq. “You’re not taking me over Hakeem, cause I’m not taking me over him.”

Personally I got Hakeem but much respect to The Diesel.

The problem with shooting and efficiency is that they need context. Shaq needed people to get him the ball and set him up. Hakeem didn’t. He could get the ball on the outside and make his own offense. He often did.

Shaq was very difficult to deal with due to his size but I enjoyed Hakeem's game a lot more. He was a better shooter and more skilled. Shaq had a legit superstar in Kobe as a teammate when he won his titles. Hakeem had a solid supporting cast but no real stars when he won his titles. I pick the dream.

I got Hakeem he’s my dude and is the most ideal center ever

Hakeem is better in my opinion. Had the toughest road to a chip. Won back to back before Jordan came. Beat Shaq head to head. Skill set wise, Hakeem can be dominant and he had a jumper, let’s not forget the three he hit on Shaq to end the series. Also Hakeem is arguably the best defender ever. 😂 A center that is top 10 in steals and first in blocks. 2x dpoy. 3x block leader and an offensive skill set like that. Crazy.

I loved Hakeem back in the day. He doesn't get enough love today.

The fact that Hakeem was able to top all these other great C's from his era while often being a bit smaller (was he really 7ft tall? I don't think so...) and a bit lighter than all just shows how insanely talented he was. Shaq was a force of nature and had a tendency to coast a bit due to his size. I believe he could have been even better if he took his conditioning a bit more serious. Hakeem was a workhorse in comparison.

What I like about this vid is that he paid respects to the greatness of Hakeem without disrespecting Shaq's.

I mean, Hakeem beat Shaq so bad he never disrespected him ever again.

The way Dream played in 93-95 playoffs, in both those years, is the greatest center of all time.

Hakeem won a championship with role players, and then the year after that led a team to four straight road playoff series's with victories over both David Robinson and Shaq. He also helped lead his team to the finals in '86 and was able to help his team get two wins against the legendary '86 Celtics. Give Hakeem a great wing player for his whole career and he'd be in everyone's GOAT conversation. I wouldn't take any center over Hakeem.

Hakeem for me. He dominated David Robinson, Patrick Ewing, and Shaq in the playoffs during those two championship runs in the mid-90s. That alone puts him first in his era at his position imo. I'd only put Kareem and Wilt ahead of him at center.

Hakeem is the BEST center that I've had the privilege of watching during my lifetime. The MOST versatile center period. & Shaq is the MOST dominant center that I've ever seen.

Defense and rebounding won me over. For Shaq to never win a rebound title is astonishing

The Dream was a beast! In my books the best center of all time.

Hakeem: more skilled Shaq: more dominant

Always remember this, when MJ went out Hakeem made it clear he was next in line. That was in an era of many top 50 players of all time.

First of all that was the greatest era for big men in NBA history. The 80's and 90's is an era that can't be replaced. I have to go with Hakeem as well. For those of us who lived through that era.....Hakeem was the first big man I ever saw who totally EMBARRASSED...I mean EMBARRASSED big men who tried to guard him. Another thing that made him a terror was the fact that you didn't know what he was going to do from 18 feet away from the basket. He had a jumper from there, so do you stay home and give him the jumper, or do you guard the big man with the little man foot work. He was a dangerous man.