Here on the blog, we’ve had many posts about Shaq’s various lists… top this, best that. Now a current LA Laker – Luka Dončić – is taking from the Big Fella’s playbook. And guess who’s on the list?
Luka Dončić knows a little something about making basketball look unfair. The Los Angeles Lakers superstar can score from nearly anywhere, deliver passes that seem to bend around defenders and control a game at his preferred speed. Ask Luka to design the perfect NBA player, though, and even he knows that every unstoppable creation needs a generous helping of Shaquille O’Neal.
During a summer tour with Jordan Brand, Dončić was asked to build the ultimate player by selecting one NBA great for each of five categories: basketball IQ, strength, passing, shooting and mentality.
His choices were LeBron James for IQ, Shaq for strength, Steve Nash for passing, Stephen Curry for shooting and Kobe Bryant for mentality.
Honestly, that imaginary player should probably be banned before warmups.
For strength, Dončić’s selection of Shaq was as automatic as an O’Neal dunk with nobody between him and the rim. In his prime, the Big Aristotle wasn’t merely stronger than his opponents. He routinely made enormous professional basketball players look like mildly concerned pedestrians.
Shaq combined size, power and surprising agility in a way the league had never seen. Defenders bounced away from him, backboards lived nervous lives and opposing coaches collected fouls like grocery-store coupons. If the assignment is to choose the strongest force in NBA history, there is Shaq—and then there is everyone else debating second place.
The rest of Luka’s creation is equally ridiculous.
LeBron is one of basketball’s sharpest thinkers, capable of reading defenses and anticipating plays before they develop. Curry transformed shooting range into more of a suggestion than a boundary. Kobe gave the sport “Mamba Mentality,” a phrase that still represents relentless preparation, confidence and the refusal to settle.
Nash was also a brilliant choice for passing. Some Lakers fans might have preferred Magic Johnson, whose vision and showmanship helped define an era. Still, selecting the two-time MVP is hardly a basketball crime. Nash could manipulate a defense, keep his dribble alive and place the ball exactly where a teammate needed it.
The fun detail is how heavily Dončić leaned on Lakers royalty. Shaq, Kobe and LeBron all wore purple and gold, while Nash finished his career in Los Angeles. That is an impressive amount of Lakers DNA packed into one hypothetical superstar.
Dončić may eventually become a popular answer in these build-a-player debates himself. His passing, court vision, footwork and ability to manufacture scoring opportunities already place him among the game’s most gifted talents.
He also has reason to feel optimistic about his future in Los Angeles. The Lakers strengthened their roster by adding Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton while bringing Austin Reaves back on a four-year contract. Dončić is reportedly excited about the team’s offseason work and remains focused on chasing a championship.
If that title run needs a little inspiration, Luka picked the right blueprint: LeBron’s brain, Curry’s shot, Nash’s passing, Kobe’s drive—and enough Shaq strength to send the entire league searching for a larger weight room.