The End of an Era: Will the NBA Ever See Another Shaq?

Shaquille O’Neal was unstoppable. So why don’t players like him exist anymore?

Basketball fans who grew up in the ‘90s and 2000s still reminisce about the legends of that era. Among them, Shaq stood alone—a physical force who could bulldoze through defenses and dunk with defenders hanging all over him. If he took it easy in the regular season, he transformed into a playoff monster, doing whatever it took to win. The result? Four championships, countless accolades, and a permanent place in history.

But time moves on, and the role of big men has completely changed. Since Shaq, there hasn’t been another player quite like him. His sheer size and power played a role, sure. But today’s NBA is different.

Big men used to dominate through brute strength, but now teams expect them to shoot, pass, and stretch the floor. Centers today—from Victor Wembanyama to Nikola Jokić and Joel Embiid—can all hit threes, facilitate offense, and handle the ball.

Will We Ever See Another Shaq?

2008 NBA champion Paul Pierce doesn’t think so. Speaking on a podcast with Kevin Garnett, Pierce was blunt:

Pierce: “We will never see another Shaq. We had Wilt Chamberlain, right? Then Shaq was a new version of Wilt. But how many years passed between them?”

Garnett: “You don’t think we’ll ever see a 7’1″, 300-pound monster who can breakdance and move like that?”

Pierce: “No, I’m serious. Big men are dying out.”

Could today’s centers play like Shaq? Technically, yes. But would it be as effective? That’s the real question. Coaches don’t want a new Shaq—they want a new Jokić. That says everything.

Even Shaq himself admitted that his era limited big men:
“Back in my day, they didn’t want big guys dribbling the ball. Sometimes I’d tell my coach to back off and just let me run the floor.”

But does that mean the NBA has shut the door on another Shaq?

Shaq doesn’t think so. In a past interview with The Guardian, he made it clear—if he played today, he would still dominate the same way:

“I wouldn’t change my game at all. I’d keep doing what I did before.”

When asked how many points he’d average, he gave a casual but terrifying answer:

“40 a game. Not counting free throws.”

So, is Paul Pierce right? Or is the next Shaq just waiting to break the mold?