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4 former superstars who would absolutely dominate in today’s NBA

By Donald Hamilton

Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett and NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon (JAMES NIELSEN/AFP via Getty Images)
Minnesota Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett and NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon (JAMES NIELSEN/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Shaquille O'Neal, NBA
Shaquille O’Neal (Photo credit JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images) /

NBA Superstar #3: Shaquille O’Neal

Are you surprised to see the “Big Diesel” here? Don’t be. As arguably the most dominant force to ever play the game, O’Neal was a behemoth unlike any other in the history of the sport outside of Chamberlain. Standing at 7’1 and weighing 325 pounds, he had a great blend of power, agility, and athleticism that the league hadn’t seen at that size since Chamberlain himself.

Yes, I know what many of you are thinking, “How would O’Neal do in today’s era when you have bigs such as Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid to space the floor? Well, he would have simply overpowered them into oblivion. With today’s rules where you aren’t allowed to hand check, grab players’ jerseys, or commit hard fouls without being given an ejection or flagrant, that would have shaken up the entire pendulum of the NBA.

The young Orlando Magic O’Neal could run all day while the Lakers version of O’Neal would simply bully two to three defenders for a ferocious slam, bruising and hurting opponents. O’Neal in today’s NBA, with less contact, would allow him to put up over 30 points per game easily!

Hakeem Olajuwon, NBA
Hakeem Olajuwon, NBA /

NBA Superstar #2: Hakeem Olajuwon

He was perhaps the most skilled big man to ever play the game on both ends of the court. Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon is one of the most unique players to ever touch an NBA court. He had the footwork of a ballerina, was agile and graceful in his movements, and was a defensive force (hence being the all-time leader in blocks with 3,830) at a level that perhaps only Bill Russell and Wilt could match.

He had counter moves upon counter moves, from up-and-unders to his patented “Dream Shake”. Olajuwon had all the skills to play in today’s era and dominate, even without being a volume shooter from three-point range, though he was capable of hitting it in his day. Olajuwon would wreak havoc on the defensive end at a level that would make all the advanced metric nerds’ brains burst.

Offensively, he was just as dominant as well, averaging over 20 points and 10 rebounds per game for eleven consecutive seasons. Olajuwon’s prowess on both ends of the court would make him unequivocally the best big man in today’s game, ahead of Jokic and Embiid, who are no slouches themselves, which just speaks to the type of greatness “The Dream” showcased throughout his career.