Whenever debates arise about the greatest center in NBA history, names such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Hakeem Olajuwon are almost always mentioned. In many cases, that exclusive group also features LA Lakers icon Shaquille O’Neal.

At the height of his powers in the early 2000s, Shaq was widely viewed as one of the most dominant forces the NBA had ever seen. The Lakers controlled the league during their three-peat from 2000 through 2002, and O’Neal’s overwhelming presence in the paint was a major reason for that success.

With four NBA titles, three Finals MVP awards, a regular-season MVP, 15 All-Star appearances, and 14 All-NBA selections—including eight First Team honours—O’Neal’s resume stacks up against virtually any center in league history. He has never been one to downplay his accomplishments either, frequently reminding fans and fellow players about his four championship rings. Charles Barkley knows that better than most.

Considering both his peak dominance and career achievements, O’Neal has a strong argument for being regarded as the greatest center ever. Yet, when asked about the distinction, he pointed to another basketball legend.

Shaquille O’Neal’s Pick For Greatest NBA Center

Despite often highlighting his own accomplishments and status as the most dominant big man ever, O’Neal has consistently shown respect for the stars who paved the way. In fact, he once identified a Boston Celtics legend as the greatest center the sport has ever seen.

During his Hall of Fame induction speech, Shaq immediately gave that honour to the late Bill Russell.

That praise stands in sharp contrast to the way he talks about Rudy Gobert or Dwight Howard in recent years. Even so, it demonstrates the tremendous admiration Shaq has for one of the most celebrated players in Celtics history.

Russell, who died in July 2022, attended O’Neal’s Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2016. Shaq took the opportunity to acknowledge the unmatched impact Russell had on basketball and recognise him as one of the game’s foundational superstars.

O’Neal also shared a personal story, revealing that Russell offered him important advice the first time they met—guidance that remained with him throughout his life. As one of the presenters at Shaq’s induction, Russell clearly left a lasting impression. He was also the man who encouraged Shaq to end his feud with Kobe Bryant in 2006 after the difficult break-up of their Lakers partnership.

Bill Russell’s Legendary NBA Career

There is little debate regarding Russell’s status as the greatest winner in NBA history. Serving as the centrepiece of the Celtics dynasty, he guided Boston to an incredible 11 championships across 13 seasons, including an astonishing streak of eight consecutive titles from 1959 through 1966. No player has matched that accomplishment.

The phrase “records are made to be broken” is often repeated in sports. Russell’s collection of 11 championship rings, however, appears likely to remain untouched.

On the individual side, Russell captured five league MVP awards. Although he earned 11 All-NBA selections during his career, only three were First Team honours. Many of those top-team selections instead went to his legendary rival, Wilt Chamberlain.

While Chamberlain accumulated more eye-popping individual numbers, Russell consistently secured the prize that mattered most at the end of the season. That contrast may help explain why he did not include Russell among his 10 greatest players ever.

Unlike Shaq, Russell was never known primarily for scoring. He never averaged 20 points per game in a season and finished his career shooting 44.0 percent from the field.

His true value came on the defensive side of the court. Standing 6-foot-10 and weighing roughly 215 pounds, Russell relied on his athleticism, anticipation, and versatility to overwhelm opponents. He was an elite rim protector who could also switch across multiple positions when necessary.

The NBA did not officially track defensive categories such as blocks and steals until the 1973-74 season, several years after Russell retired. Even without those statistics on record, he still owns the highest defensive win share total in league history at 133.62. Tim Duncan ranks second with 106.34.

Russell and O’Neal never had the opportunity to face each other in competition. Still, basketball fans can only imagine how fascinating it would have been to watch The Diesel battle one of the greatest defenders ever—and, in Shaq’s view, the greatest center in NBA history.

Newcastle United face a tough summer transfer window ahead, but work is underway to bolster the squad, as The Telegraph claims talks are already underway with one target for the wide areas.

After a disappointing campaign last time out, sales have appeared inevitable for the Magpies, with Anthony Gordon joining Barcelona early in the window as the first of a few potential exits.

It remains to be seen who else could depart from Newcastle, but the club’s focus will be on bringing in the next wave of exciting fresh talent who can get the club back to the top once again.

With that in mind, talks are already underway for Gordon‘s potential replacement.

Newcastle Open Talks For Victor Munoz

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Following the sale of Gordon to Barcelona, Newcastle have quickly started to work on possible replacements, and have lined up Osasuna star Victor Munoz.

The report from The Telegraph states that the 22-year-old is viewed as the “perfect” option to succeed the England international, having featured on the left as well as up front and on the right.

Talks are said to be underway, with Newcastle looking to sort out the basis of a deal with both Osasuna and Munoz, while competition for his signature is increasing.

The Magpies believe the forward is keen to join, however, while there is a £34.5 million release clause in his deal that could simplify the ability to wrap up a deal quickly.

Beyond Munoz, Newcastle are set to sign goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen after striking an agreement with Reims, while young winger Zadok Yohanna is another transfer option on the club’s radar.

Who Is Victor Munoz?

Newcastle target Victor Munoz is a 22-year-old versatile winger who has risen to notoriety in the past season, following his breakthrough into senior football.

The forward came through the Barcelona youth ranks before his switch to Real Madrid, where he also featured for the academy sides, but without breaking into the first-team setup.

That prompted a transfer last summer, as Munoz joined Osasuna, where he quickly showed exactly how much quality he has.

The Spaniard scored seven goals and assisted five in 36 appearances across all competitions, which was enough to earn him a call-up to the World Cup with the Spanish national team.

Having quickly established himself as a promising young option, Newcastle are looking to land him ahead of their rivals.

It’s a move that uses considerably less than the fee paid for Gordon to reinvest in the squad, with hopes that Munoz and whoever else that joins can live up to their potential and create the same sort of value moving forward.

Arsenal have set a club-record transfer price tag for one of their stars, as the Gunners prepare for a summer window filled with business moving in and out of the club.

The North London side enjoyed a successful campaign, which saw them crowned as Premier League champions, while they were a penalty shootout away from landing a first-ever Champions League trophy too.

Mikel Arteta and the hierarchy aren’t happy with just that, however, as it appears as though the appetite is there to continue competing at the highest possible level.

That means Arsenal are facing a busy few months ahead, with both signings and exits on the cards, the latter of which could result in some difficult decisions being made.

Arsenal Stance On Gabriel Martinelli

One of the players who could leave this summer is Gabriel Martinelli, as Christian Falk claims that Arsenal are open to a move, with a price tag already set on the winger.

The report states that £38.9 million will be enough to tempt the Gunners into allowing a deal to proceed, with Bayern Munich among those most heavily linked.

The Bundesliga champions have been rumoured with interest in the Brazilian for some time now, and following their failed move for Anthony Gordon, there is still the need to land a left-winger in the market.

That said, it’s claimed that Bayern are looking at other options who may feature more as squad players, a role that wouldn’t suit Martinelli as he searches for more game time.

Martinelli featured 53 times across all competitions for Arsenal over the past season, scoring 11 goals and assisting seven times, with his main quality being his “rapid” pace and ability to disrupt defences.

That said, he has been relied on a lot less than others, with fewer than half of his Premier League appearances coming as a starter in the side.

With the Gunners on the search for a left-wing option, an exit for Martinelli appears more likely, along with the possibility of his teammate Leandro Trossard also leaving.

It remains to be seen whether that £38.9 million price tag would tempt some other clubs to come in with an offer, though it would prove a decent return on investment for Arsenal.

Arsenal Need Sales

One of the huge tasks that Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has this summer is finding a way to make the club capable of selling in a similar way to their rivals.

The Gunners have often struggled to recoup considerable funds for their players, making it tougher to reinvest in the market with stronger transfer fees as a result.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain remains the club-record sale to Liverpool, worth just £35 million, something that would be beaten if Martinelli manages to go for the proposed £38.9 million price tag.

That would result in a huge profit on the £6 million paid to Ituano back in 2019, and would underline the huge effort to help develop him to that point.

Arsenal would land money that goes back into the transfer fund, and it starts a self-sustaining cycle that must continue if the club want to stay competitive at the very top.

Martinelli’s potential sale would be the start of an era for Arsenal, one where they need to find better ways to sell to keep competitive.