“You Don’t Want To Mess With God” – Shaquille O’Neal Reveals How Michael Jordan Scared Him
Shaquille O’Neal is a basketball legend. He won four championships and was the best player in the finals three times. He was really good at playing near the basket because he was big, strong, and talented. He was picked for the All-Star game 15 times and won one most valuable player award during the regular season.
Even Shaq had a point where he couldn’t talk trash or challenge his opponents on the court. He was scared of one player, Michael Jordan, so he never dared to mess with him.
Shaquille O’Neal on Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan was the best player ever and the ultimate competitor. He won six championships and was named the most valuable player five times. Jordan had a strong desire to win and had a special talent for making big plays in important moments, which made him impossible to stop.
Last year, Shaquille O’Neal said on the PBD Podcast that Jordan was the only person who made him really scared while playing basketball. He respected Jordan so much that he didn’t want to bother or upset him.
“Michael Jordan. You don’t want to mess with God. You got to stay away from Mike. Leave that man alone,” Shaq said.
Shaq vs Jordan
Shaquille O’Neal and Jordan played against each other 21 times. Jordan’s team won 12 games, and Shaq’s team won nine. Their first meeting was on January 16, 1993. Shaq was a rookie playing for the Orlando Magic, and Jordan was a top player for the Chicago Bulls. In that game, Jordan scored his highest number of points ever with 64, but the Magic still won in overtime with a score of 128-124. Shaq had 29 points, 24 rebounds, and five blocks in his first game against Jordan.
Later, Shaq made a joke that Jordan was fortunate he didn’t have to defend against him that night. However, on the PBD Podcast, Shaq also confessed that he was really impressed by Jordan’s skills and how fast he played.
“He came by me so fast sometimes I was like oh s***,” he said.
Shaq and Jordan are regarded as two of the best players of all time, and they respect each other. Outside of basketball, they are also close friends. They’ve been spotted together at NBA All-Star games, award presentations, and television shows many times.
