Shaq says Julius Erving, not Michael Jordan, is the best player ever

Shaq famously didn't always get along with Kobe Bryant. However, when he was asked recently who was better between Kobe and another former teammate of Shaq's, LeBron James, Shaq said a couple surprising things.

First of all, he didn't use the opportunity to bash his former foe/Lakers teammate, as he has done in the past.

(Anyone remember 'Kobe, tell me how my ass taste.")

Instead, he expressed that he felt that they were different players, each great in their own way. 

“They’re different," he told Antenna Magazine. "LeBron is more of an all-around player — Hey this guy’s open, let me kick it to him. Kobe is more of, Oh, we’re down six? I’m going to shoot it three times and get us six points. But they’re both great players." 

Image from phillysportshistory.com 

Then he made an even more shocking statement. 

"To me, Dr. J was the greatest player ever. But I ask other people, they say Jordan, some say Kobe, some people say LeBron. It’s always going to be a matter of opinion.” 

Wow. 

Dr.J was fantastic, and as a Sixers fan, it does often seem that The Doctor doesn't get his due. But still, someone saying anyone other than Jordan was the GOAT is borderline blasphemous at this point. It is especially surprising coming from another all-time great who competed against Jordan in his prime (and notably couldn't win a ring until Jordan was out of the League).  

To each his own, obviously. Erving is a legend, and so is MJ. One thing is for sure; that would have been an awesome one-on-one game.