The Paradox of Shaquille O’Neal: A Giant with a Weakness

When you think of sheer power, unmatched size, and dominance in the paint, Shaquille O’Neal comes to mind. However, when it comes to one of the worst free-throw shooters in the league’s history, that’s also Shaq. This paradox followed the legendary big man throughout his Hall of Fame career, and there is some irony to it. The truth is, a different method at the line might have made his legacy even more imposing.

Don’t believe it? Just ask Rick Barry.

A Glaring Weakness

Set aside O’Neal’s dominance for a moment and picture him at the stripe. Fans of his former teams can probably already feel a familiar chill run down their backs. And for good reason. After all, more often than not, Diesel came up short during those situations, his career 52.7 percent mark saying it all.

Famously, that flaw became a strategy for opponents. “Hack-a-Shaq,” courtesy of San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich, turned intentional fouling into a way to disrupt his momentum. Even when the NBA icon showed improvement here and there — he peaked at 62.2 percent during the 2002-03 Los Angeles Lakers season — that kind of progress, well, it never stuck.

One of the worst examples came when it mattered most. In Game 1 of the 2006 NBA Finals, O’Neal — then with the Miami Heat — went one-for-nine from the line and shot a dismal 29.2 percent for the entire series.

O’Neal Refused Barry’s Method

A workaholic like Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan? That never described O’Neal. Still, he did put in hours at the line, sometimes shooting hundreds of free throws at home. That said, it’s easy to assume the problem might not have been effort but his having an unsuitable technique. That’s where Barry, one of the best small forwards ever, came into the conversation.

The Golden State Warriors legend was one of the most accurate free-throw shooters in the league’s rich annals. When you hit over 90 percent for your career, that reputation is usually well deserved. So what was Barry’s secret? An unorthodox underhand technique — the “granny shot.”

While it looked strange, no question, Barry himself once explained it made sense from a physics standpoint: fewer things could go wrong, and the shot was easier to repeat consistently.

Barry’s method worked so well that he tried teaching it to others, including O’Neal, who could make it in practice. In games, however, he refused. But why?

Rick offered some insight, explaining in 2020 that the Lakers legend, seeing himself as a hip-hop kind of guy, feared he would lose his image looking awkward at the line.

Maybe it would have. Still, “The Miami Greyhound” insisted the price was higher than pride.

“Shaq’s career would have changed if he would have lived it,” he claimed.

“The problem is it cost him championships. There’s no doubt about it.”

Furthermore, had O’Neal changed his technique and shot 80 percent from the line, Barry believed strategies like Hack-a-Shaq would have vanished entirely.

“At the end of games, you throw it to him in the post and it’s over,” he explained.

As for Diesel himself? He once joked that he’d rather shoot negative 30 percent than attempt an underhand free throw. It showed the 2000 MVP was determined to protect his image, and just like that, the paradox of an otherwise incredible career was cemented forever.