There is a good chance that if fans were given the opportunity to select any player with the No. 1 pick, especially after what LeBron James has consistently accomplished across more than two decades, many would take the four-time MVP without hesitation.
Jeff Teague , however, would unhesitatingly make a different choice.
The former Atlanta Hawks guard believes Shaquille O'Neal would be his automatic No. 1 pick over King James, as the seven-foot center's combination of size, strength and dominance in the paint would make him virtually impossible to stop in today's NBA.
Shaq's dominance was already evident as a rookie, when hand-checking, physicality and contact in the post were far more prevalent than they are today. Even then, he had performances such as dropping a 46-point, 21-rebound double-double against the Detroit Pistons, which featured Olden Polynice, Dennis Rodman and Bill Laimbeer.
So, even though O'Neal's greatest strength was never finesse, it was his ability to overwhelm opponents in the paint and use his position in the post to effortlessly finish at the rim.
That is why Teague does not doubt that Shaq will be unstoppable in the NBA.
On one side, there are centers like Nikola Jokic who have been criticized for not playing hard on the defensive end, or players like Victor Wembanyama, who might be taller than Shaq but do not have the muscle mass to contain him.
"How the league is playing right now? I'm definitely taking Shaq. 'Cause ain't nobody be able to stop Shaq," Teague said on his podcast. "Shaq and whoever pick-and-roll is gonna be (unstoppable). Shaq is gonna average 38, 'cause everybody in the NBA is 6'10-230."
However, when looking at the versatility of LeBron's game, be it the luxury of going from dropping 30 points to double-digit assists to grabbing 10-12 rebounds per game to making elite chase-down blocks, Teague holds reservations about that when comparing it with what Shaq brings to the table.
In his view, to maximize different facets of James' game, he needs players like Dwyane Wade or Kyrie Irving who can take over offensively, as well as quality 3-and-D wings like Rui Hachimura.
Thus, Teague made it clear that, as harsh as it might sound, O'Neal will be his pick over LeBron.
O'Neal, in Teague's view, would not require the same level of roster construction. Even if the "Diesel" has ordinary role players around him, he'll find a way to carry the team single-handedly on his back.
"Bron gonna have the 28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, but Shaq gonna average 39 nd 15. You gotta handpick people to play with LeBron," Teague added. "I can go get anybody to play with Shaq; all you got to do is throw it in the paint."
Related: "I don't really have the boobs" – Sophie Cunningham jokes about her Victoria's Secret dream
Jeff is allowed to express his opinion, since Shaq's physical dominance is impossible to dispute.
However, when comparing James and O'Neal in today's NBA landscape, the biggest difference between them is the breadth of their offensive skill sets.
Even if Shaq's voids from the three-point line are known to all, defenders today wouldn't think twice before fouling him every time he touches the ball. And given how he shot 52.7 percent from the free-throw line over his career, "Hack-a-Shaq" may be a genuine strategy in containing him.
LeBron, on the other hand, has never had such an evident weakness throughout his entire career. In fact, over his eight-year Lakers tenure, he shot more efficiently from long range despite attempting more shots than in his 11 years with the Cleveland Cavaliers, showing his growth in three-point shooting over the years.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Oct 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
