NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal once had a long-running online feud with Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen over who would win between the all-time Lakers and Bulls roster.
At one point, Shaquille O’Neal even posted on Instagram, making fun of the Saul criticism about Pippen being downplayed as a “sidekick.”
Shaq’s post read: “Anybody need a T MOBILE SIDEKICK. I GOTTa PRETTY GOOD ONE #BESTSIDEKICKEVER”
Fans even made fun of how Shaq obviously had his Caps Lock key stuck.
Shaq’s old Instagram post that started the feud boasted that a quintet of Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Elgin Baylor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and himself would blow out the Bulls by 50 points. Pippen responded by flexing the Bulls’ championship hardware and reminding Shaq that he, too, played a sidekick role to Dwyane Wade in Miami.
The feud escalated as Shaq fired back with a brutal response, saying, “See what happens when Michael Jordan ain’t protecting you. You lose a 17 pt lead in the fourth quarter. And this happens,” referencing his iconic alley-oop slam against Pippen’s Trail Blazers.
Shaq didn’t hold back, calling Pippen a “bum” and asserting that Pippen was never the main focus of the Bulls’ six championships. The back-and-forth continued, with both legends trading insults and jabs about each other’s careers and accomplishments.
Shaquille O’Neal vs Scottie Pippen: Who Has More Accolades and Awards?
While both Shaquille O’Neal and Scottie Pippen had legendary NBA careers, they also both had edges against each other and aspects where one excelled over the other.
Pippen edges out O’Neal in NBA championships. Pippen was part of the Chicago Bulls’ six championship wins from 1991 to 1998, playing a crucial role in their dynasty. O’Neal, on the other hand, won four championships: three with the Los Angeles Lakers (2000-2002) and one with the Miami Heat in 2006. This gives Pippen a two-championship lead.
Shaq has the edge when it comes to MVP awards. Shaq was named MVP in the 1999-2000 season for his dominant performance that year. Scottie Pippen, despite his significant impact on the Bulls, did not receive this individual honor at any point.
Shaquille O’Neal significantly outpaces Scottie Pippen in All-Star game selections, with 15 appearances compared to Pippen’s 7. O’Neal’s consistent excellence over many seasons earned him this recognition, reflecting his status as one of the league’s top players.
Both players have a wealth of other NBA accolades, but they excel in different areas. Shaquille O’Neal was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and has 12 All-NBA selections, three All-Defensive team honors, three Finals MVP awards, and two scoring titles. Scottie Pippen, inducted in 2010, has seven All-NBA selections and ten All-Defensive team honors, including eight first-team selections.
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