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Cruel choice: Why O Neal "failed" under the wave of basketball evolution? Legendary Array
8:04am, 26 August 2025【Basketball】
In the starry sky of basketball history, six legendary superstars, Kobe, Bird, Magic, Duncan, James and O'Neal, shine. However, when a cruel multiple-choice question is in front of you - one person must be cut from these six people, the seemingly absurd assumption is hidden behind the deep logic of basketball development. In the end, "Shawk" O'Neal became that helpless choice.
O'Neal's basketball career is a magnificent epic. It has 4 championship rings, won the FMVP three times, ranking in the top ten in the all-time scoring list, and its feat of 61 points and 23 rebounds in a single game is even more amazing. His violent aesthetics at the basket and the shocking moment of smashing rebounds forced the league to make modifications to the basket design; his dominance in the inside allowed the opponent to use the "shark-cutting tactic" to limit him. But success is Xiao He and failure is Xiao He. This tactic just exposed his fatal weakness.
free throws became an insurmountable gap for O'Neal. His career free throw shooting percentage of 52.7% makes him like Achilles' heel at the free throw line. The game was in a stalemate, and the opponent was fouled by him, which undoubtedly gave him a "free lunch". In the fierce competition of modern basketball with extremely small points difference, this defect is infinitely amplified. Imagine that the team's core hits only 50% of the free throw line in the last two minutes of the division final tiebreak, and the impact on the situation of the game is self-evident and may even lead to a tilt of the victory. The changes in the
times have made O'Neal's style of playing incompatible with modern basketball. In today's basketball world, small ball tactics are prevalent, and they pursue the ultimate space and unlimited defense swaps. The Warriors' Death Five Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Little Li O'Neal's 300 pound weight, if he switches to the outside defense, it is very likely to become a breakthrough for the opponent's defender to break through; and his high reliance on the penalty area during attack will seriously squeeze the team's offensive space and limit his teammates' performance.
In contrast, the other five legends show stronger adaptability in the modern basketball environment. Kobe's ultimate ability and comprehensive skills at critical moments are the team's magic weapon to win at any time; as a historical shooter, Bird seems to be born for modern basketball with his super high ball merchandise; the magician's fast advancement and exquisite passes can better play its value in fast-paced games; Duncan's excellent defensive coverage and efficient finishing ability perfectly meet the needs of contemporary insiders; James' own system, comprehensive ability transcends the era, and can be seamlessly integrated no matter what tactical system it is.
O'Neal's strength requires the team to tailor the lineup around him and equip the outside shooter group to open up space. Teammates must also make up for his leaks on the defensive end. But in the modern NBA with limited salary space, forming such a lineup is not only huge, but also in the playoffs, his free throw shortcomings and defensive limitations will be targeted by the opponent. In contrast, the other five super giants can easily integrate into various systems and even enhance the strength of the entire system.
This choice does not deny O'Neal's greatness, but is an inevitable result of basketball evolution. O'Neal's dominance is a product of a specific era. When the basketball concept and tactical system change, the living space of traditional low-level monsters is greatly compressed. Nevertheless, we cannot forget that in his time, O'Neal subverted people's perception of basketball power with his strong dominance and redefined the way of playing.
Perhaps this is the unique charm of legend - even if "eliminated" in this hypothetical cruel choice, it will not damage its great light. In the long river of basketball development, every legend has left a unique mark, and O'Neal has written a magnificent chapter in basketball history with his unparalleled power.
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