On a recent episode of First Take, Shannon Sharpe ranked Shaquille O’Neal as the third-greatest center of all time. Sharpe explained his reasoning, placing Shaq behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain.

Shannon Sharpe: “I can’t put him in front of Kareem or Wilt. People say Shaq is the most dominant, no it’s Wilt. Because Wilt averaged 50 and 25. Wilt had another season in which he averaged 27 rebounds and 44 points.”

“If you look at the three highest scoring average, the man averaged 30 points and 23 rebounds for a career. Blocked shots was not a stat. So how many blocked shots do you think he would have had had they kept track of it? . I got Kareem one wilt two, I got Shaq three.”

Shannon Sharpe emphasized the statistical dominance of Wilt Chamberlain, noting his incredible averages. Chamberlain’s remarkable seasons, including one where he averaged 50 points and 25 rebounds per game, were pivotal in Sharpe’s decision. Chamberlain’s career averages of 30 points and 23 rebounds per game also stood out.

Sharpe highlighted that blocked shots were not officially recorded during Wilt’s era, suggesting that Chamberlain’s defensive impact might be even greater than the numbers indicate. Consequently, Sharpe ranked Kareem Abdul-Jabbar first, Wilt Chamberlain second, and Shaquille O’Neal third.

Stephen A. Smith did not contest Sharpe’s ranking but offered a different perspective on Wilt Chamberlain’s placement.

Stephen A. Smith: “Okay, I can live with that. What I will say. However, is this, excuse me, I can look at Bill Russell and 11 titles and five rebounding titles.”

“Kareem is a given and where my issue with Wilt compare to Shaq comes in is that Wilt has a nemesis that got nine more titles straight up against him. You know, straight up versus him in that era. Nobody would have done that to Shaq. That’s the difference.”

Smith pointed out that Bill Russell, with his 11 NBA titles and five rebounding titles, could also be considered among the greatest. Additionally, Smith noted that Wilt Chamberlain had a nemesis in Bill Russell, who won nine more titles in direct competition with him.

In contrast, Smith argued that no one in Shaq’s era could have consistently dominated him as Russell did with Wilt. Smith’s argument centered on the idea that Shaq’s dominance would have been unmatched if faced with similar circumstances.

Sharpe’s ranking of Shaquille O’Neal as the third greatest center is particularly notable given their recent feud. Just over a month ago, Sharpe and Shaq were embroiled in a bitter social media dispute. Sharpe had accused Shaq of being jealous of Nikola Jokic’s three MVP awards compared to Shaq’s one.

Shaq responded with an epic rant, calling out Sharpe, and even released a diss track aimed at him. The feud had cooled off for a while, but Sharpe’s latest comments on Shaq’s ranking are likely to reignite tensions.

Shaquille O’Neal’s legacy as one of the most dominant centers in NBA history is undisputed. However, Sharpe’s decision to place him third, behind Kareem and Wilt, underscores the formidable competition among the greatest centers.

The ongoing debate about the greatest centers in NBA history will undoubtedly continue. Still, Sharpe’s ranking provides an interesting perspective on the relative greatness of these legendary players.

Whether Shaq responds to Sharpe’s latest comments remains to be seen, but the discussion about basketball’s greatest centers is far from over. Regardless of the ranking, Shaq, Kareem, and Wilt have all established themselves as giants of the game, each with a unique legacy that has left an indelible mark on the NBA.