During his playing years, Shaquille O’Neal was both an unstoppable force and an immovable object.

Going up against him was the most unenviable job for big men back in the day, and bruises are common takeaways for O’Neal’s defenders. But ironically, the individual who inflicts these unintentional pain to their bodies is also the same person who should be credited for their jobs.

In an article by the Orange County Register, a number of NBA personalities sounded off on Shaquille O’Neal’s indirect influence on some players’ NBA dreams.

Former teammate Brian Shaw:

“He created a lot of jobs for guys around the league who otherwise wouldn’t have been employed.”

Former Blazers reserve Joe Kleine:

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“I’m not naïve to that. Probably should send him a rack of ribs.”

“I wasn’t going there to shut down Vlade Divac or somebody like that. The Lakers had been Portland’s nemesis.”

NBA agent Mark Bartelstein:

“There is no question that there are guys that teams needed in the Western Conference with the Lakers. Teams need to have someone to use fouls up against Shaq.”

It’s crazy to think O’Neal’s impact reaches that point wherein guys get paid millions to foul him when he gets underneath the basket – however futile it may be.

Nowadays, the practice of teams getting a player to become a specialist, or a “particularist”, is still common. But they aren’t getting paid that much for a job as specific as what O’Neal’s presence demanded from opposing teams.