Shaquille O'Neal is a certified Basketball Hall of Famer. During his playing days, O'Neal garnered four NBA championships, three Finals MVPs, one NBA MVP, and 15 All-Star Game appearances. Nowadays, O'Neal reaps the benefits of a successful career on and off the court.

However, he continues to contribute to the game as an analyst for TNT. While Shaq is knowledgeable about the game, given his wealth of experiences, the Big Diesel doesn't shy away from making bold claims that aren't necessarily aligned with popular opinion. Let's rank Shaquille O'Neal's 10 wildest NBA takes.

10. Dominant in today's NBA

NBA fans remember how Shaquille O'Neal was a dominant big man during his peak. Since retiring, the NBA has evolved in multiple ways. But when asked if how he'd fare in the modern era, the Big Diesel claimed that he would be just as dominant, if not more.

Although spacing will certainly help the Hall of Fame center, there are other factors to consider given that big men these days are more skilled than ever.

9. First big man with handles

Speaking of modern big men today, there's no doubt that there has been an influx of big men that possess a complete skillset such as Nikola Jokic, Alperen Sengun, Chet Holmgren, Victor Wembanyama, Bol Bol, etc.

But in a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat, O'Neal jokingly made a bold statement claiming that he was the first center to play point guard. He isn't exactly wrong, given how he showcased his handles at the 2007 All-Star Game.

8. Donovan Mitchell ain't that great

Donovan Mitchell wasn't able to lift the Utah Jazz to a championship. However, that doesn't take away his efforts of making the team a competitive squad in the stacked Western Conference.

For O'Neal however, as much as he liked the All-Star guard, he revealed that Mitchell didn't have what it takes to take it to the next level. Those are bold criticisms for someone who could drop 70 in a single game.

7. Nothing is wrong with Draymond Green

Draymond Green is no stranger to being the recipient of technical fouls, flagrant fouls, and ejections. But while his physicality can be beneficial for the Golden State Warriors dynasty, there are moments when he takes it a little too far.

These moments include putting Rudy Gobert in a choke hold and swinging at Jusuf Nurkic's head. But for Shaq, somehow these antics are just part of who the four-time NBA champion is.

6. Steve Nash didn't deserve pair of MVPs

Steve Nash emerged as a back-to-back MVP during his peak with the Phoenix Suns. On the other hand, Shaq won his lone NBA MVP Award in 2000. Years later, however, O'Neal made a wild claim that he would've had more MVP awards to his name if it weren't for Nash.

5. Greatest one-two punch in NBA history

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Throughout the years, there have been plenty of successful dynamic duos. But for Shaq, the greatest duo was him and Kobe Bryant. While the duo makes a case thanks to their three-peat feat, the claim was still debatable.

Other duos that can contend for that title include the Warriors' Splash Brothers, the Heat's LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, and the Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. It's worth noting that the Bulls duo pulled off two sets of three-peats and never lost in the NBA Finals.

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Luka Doncic

With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander doing wonders for the Oklahoma City Thunder, it's easy to see why they earned the top seed in the Western Conference. While it's agreeable for Shaq to claim that's one hell of a player, taking him over Luka Doncic surely does raise some eyebrows, especially after Doncic's Dallas Mavericks knocked off the Thunder in their playoff series.

3. Dr. J as the GOAT

The GOAT conversation is usually composed of guys such as Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. However, when O'Neal was asked to chime in on the debate, the Big Diesel brought up NBA Champion Julius Erving. While Erving made magic in the air and won championships, it was surely an unpopular opinion.

2. Kevin Durant's career is a failure

Kevin Durant is one of the most lethal scorers in the NBA thanks to his combination of size and unique skillset. In his career, Durant achieved two NBA championships, two Finals MVPs, 14 All-Star Game appearances, and an NBA MVP.

But despite his achievements, O'Neal and Charles Barkley both agreed that Durant's career was a failure, particularly his stint outside of Golden State. But even then, Durant managed to transform the Brooklyn Nets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and now the Phoenix Suns into legitimate title contenders.

1. Wemby and Bol Bol comparisons

Victor Wembanyama is dubbed as the next player to take over the NBA in the near future. With his combination of size and polished skillset, it's easy to see why Wemby is the most hyped rookie.

However, while Shaq was impressed with Wemby's skillset, the Big Diesel brought up that his playstyle wasn't something new. This led to Shaq bringing up Bol Bol. While Bol Bol is starting to show glimpses once again with the Suns, Wemby has already provided so much more impact in his rookie season compared to Bol Bol's five-season stint in the NBA.