CREDITS: USA TODAY SPORTS

Of all the players who’ve had the misfortune of battling Shaquille O’Neal in the paint in his prime, just about everyone would likely agree that the center was among the toughest assignments of their careers. The four-time NBA champion was inarguably the most physically gifted and dominant player of his generation. Former Detroit Pistons and Boston Celtics player Scot Pollard attested to just this recently, and even further accentuated his point with a hilarious comment.

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Pollard was a guest on the Rock Chalk Unplugged podcast and was asked who was the toughest player he had to guard in the NBA. The 6’11” center picked O’Neal without much hesitation and explained how going up against the three-time Finals MVP has even left him with a permanent backache. He said:

“My back still hurts [from guarding Shaquille O’Neal]. Prime Shaq was about 360 pounds. Don’t believe the hype. I know what 360 feels like. My dad was 360. And Shaq [Shaquille O’Neal] was every bit 360 pounds.”

Given how much flesh he had on his body during his career, it really isn’t hard to believe that O’Neal was at least 360 lbs at a 7ft 1″ frame. However, something that is hard to believe, is the fact that he had a 32-inch vertical at that weight, as per Basketball Mentality. Compare that to Scot Pollard’s much smaller, 6ft 11″, 265 lbs frame, and it is very much possible that he does still have pain in his body from guarding Shaq all those years ago. That said, he was likely just joking around.

While Pollard’s claims of O’Neal weighing 360 pounds in his prime match the record books, the former Lakers superstar once claimed he was at least 35 pounds heavier. During a segment on NBA on TNT, O’Neal revealed that during the Lakers’ third title run with him on the roster, he weighed 395 pounds.

If that wasn’t difficult enough to fathom, O’Neal changed his claim in October 2023 and claimed he weighed 415 pounds during the Lakers’ 2002 championship run. Officially, the team listed him at 325 pounds, 90 pounds lighter than what O’Neal claims he weighed.

If O’Neal’s claim is accurate, he was by far the heaviest player in NBA history. Officially, the Phoenix Suns’ 1992 first-round draft pick, Oliver Miller, holds the title. He clocked in at 375 pounds, 40 pounds lighter than O’Neal’s alleged weight in 2002.

Despite weighing between 385 and 415 pounds, O’Neal started 66 games in the 2001-02 regular season and averaged 27.5 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists. He elevated his output in the playoffs, averaging 28.5 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, and led the Lakers to their third-straight NBA title. He also became the first player after Michael Jordan to win three consecutive NBA Finals MVP. O’Neal and Jordan remain the only players in NBA history to achieve this feat.

Players that gave Shaquille O’Neal a hard time on the court

While matching up against Shaquille O’Neal was nightmare fuel for most NBA centers, some had his number too, at least briefly. In an interview with Sports Illustrated, the Lakers icon was asked who were the toughest players he faced during his career. O’Neal picked Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, and, a bit shockingly, Rik Smits.

Including regular season and playoffs, O’Neal holds a winning record against Hall of Famers Olajuwon, Ewing, and Robinson. However, Smits, the least accomplished player among the four, holds a one-game lead over the Lakers legend in head-to-head games. Explaining why he struggled against the former Indiana Pacers star, O’Neal said in 2017, as per Sports Illustrated:

“Rik destroyed me every time. Oh, my God. Pick-and-pop, jump hook in the post, I couldn’t stop that kid. If it wasn’t for his foot problems, I probably [never would] have been able to stop him.”

Smits and O’Neal battled in the 2000 NBA Finals, and it was a no-contest. The Lakers beat the Pacers 4-2 on the back of their superstar center’s jaw-dropping performances. He averaged 38 points, 16.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists and was named Finals MVP. In the end, O’Neal had the last laugh, as he usually did against every opponent he faced in his prime.

That said, as O’Neal mentioned, Smits was a skilled big man. While O’Neal’s physical prowess allowed him to dominate just about anyone, Smit’s versatility at 7ft 4″ gave him fits. Unfortunately for the now 48-year-old, however, there were disadvantages that came with his size.

Before long in his career, his feet developed nerve damage, something that only allowed him to play 506 games across an 11-year career in the NBA. As Shaq says, perhaps if his foot never gave in, Rik Smits would also have stood alongside the greatest to ever do it.