O'Neal, of course, was one of the most dominant big men the game has ever seen, but he believes in the faster, more free-flowing NBA of today, he would be unstoppable. He likened his game to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
"I'd have been a center," O'Neal said on Thursday from the NBA's All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina. "I would've been the 'Greek Freak'. A guy that can dribble, can handle, can go to the hole with force, do that, kick it to guards."
He added: "I tried to do that ... but my coaches wasn't having it."
When asked what he would average if he played today, he said 40 points per game.
"Without the free throws."
But in a league where teams are playing faster, with more space because of three-point shooting, and with the freedom-of-movement rules that prevent off-ball contact, O'Neal believes he could play Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks' All-Star forward is perhaps the most dominant player going to the rim thanks to his size, length, and athleticism. He doesn't often shoot from the outside, but opponents are yet to find a way to prevent him from getting to the rim.
O'Neal added that he wouldn't follow the steps of today's big men and shoot from the outside.
"I wouldn't change my game because everyone else is shooting jumpers," he said. "I would still do what I do, and I would punish the bigs.
"When bigs shoot jumpers, that just tells me that they don't like the physical contact. I would definitely take advantage of that."
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