Shaquille O'Neal Claims Magic Superstar Could’ve Matched Kobe Bryant's Success

The Orlando Magic struck gold by drafting Shaquille O’Neal No. 1 overall in 1992. As a young franchise, his arrival gave them instant credibility and national attention. O’Neal won Rookie of the Year and led Orlando to three straight playoff appearances, including a trip to the NBA Finals. Despite never winning a ring with the Magic, he remains one of the most iconic players in team history. Though he pushed for the pairing with Penny Hardaway, the duo reached only one Finals, where they were swept by Hakeem Olajuwon and the Houston Rockets. Contract tensions followed, and O’Neal signed with the Los Angeles Lakers after his rookie deal expired.

During his time with the Lakers, O’Neal won three consecutive NBA titles alongside Kobe Bryant. This cemented his legacy as one of the greatest big men in league history. Over that playoff stretch, he averaged 29.9 points, 14.5 rebounds and 2.4 blocks.

During a conversation with Marcus and Markieff Morris on The Big Podcast, O’Neal revealed Magic legend Tracy McGrady said he could’ve won three titles if he had swapped places with Kobe Bryant. O’Neal agreed, acknowledging McGrady’s elite scoring ability.

"T-Mac made a statement the other day," O'Neal said. "If you switch him and Kobe out, as far as playing with me, the outcome is the same. That’s why I like everybody's opinion. You don't think I could have won three with T-Mac? I think I could have. T-Mac was a bad boy."

(H/T 🎥 @bigpodwithshaq ) pic.twitter.com/HYf99Xd7sx
— Baby Bull (@BTCBabyBull) July 24, 2025

Despite averaging 32 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists during his peak playoff stretch with the Magic, McGrady’s claim drew criticism from the Morris twins. They argued he didn’t share Bryant’s mentality.

"I don't agree with that," they said. "Taking nothing away from T-Mac, great player. You’re not Kobe. That mentality too, that killer mentality. Everybody didn't have that. Like he was a good, he was a great player, don't get me wrong. But it was times when Mike [Jordan] gave Kobe something nobody else would be able to even imitate and have that mentality no other players have."

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