"We all have to shut the hell up" - Shaquille O'Neal believes LeBron passing Kareem makes his G.O.A.T. case untouchable

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"We all have to shut the hell up" - Shaquille O'Neal believes LeBron passing Kareem makes his G.O.A.T. case untouchable originally appeared on Basketball Network.
When LeBron James broke Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record in 2023, the moment came with more than simple celebration. It marked a shift in how his legacy would be judged. For years, the conversation around who was the greatest had stayed in motion.
But to some, that moment brought it to a stop. For Shaquille O'Neal, it was supposedly the final piece.
"I don't like having this conversation, because I actually know all these guys, but I know LeBron, and I think this is LeBron's plan," O'Neal said. "I think he wants to surpass Kareem cause if he surpasses Kareem in points, we all have to shut the hell up. Think about it, he is going to have four rings, he already passed up Kobe, he already passed up Mike, and now if he passes Kareem, so if that doesn't make him the greatest basketball player, I don't know what we are talking about."
It wasn't just the number. It was what it stood for. Abdul Jabbar's record had lasted nearly four decades. He held it through generations of players, across styles, rule changes and eras. James reaching that point meant he had endured long enough, stayed productive long enough and performed at a level no one had before.
The weight of the crown
Even before the record fell, the debate had always followed the four-time MVP. Every win was a chapter. Every loss was a counterpoint. But on that night in Los Angeles, with the cameras flashing and the game paused for history, there was no noise. There was only the scoreboard and the moment.
James asked for the title. He never shied away from it either.
"I'm gonna take myself against anybody that's ever played this game," he said after becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer. "I always feel like I'm the best to ever play this game."
The words weren't loud. They didn't have to be. The numbers told their own story. Four MVPs and four championships. A scoring total no one had ever reached. That kind of consistency had never been matched.
The beauty of basketball is that there is no single measure. Some will still look at Michael Jordan's perfect Finals record. Some will see Kobe Bryant's edge and leadership. Others will point to Bill Russell's rings. But James' career now spans longer than most. And with the Kareem milestone in hand, the list of arguments against him has grown shorter.
History doesn't need an answer
For O'Neal, the scoring record brought clarity. It was not about liking James more or less than anyone else. It was about what had been done. Abdul Jabbar's name sat alone for so long that no one imagined it would be passed. Once it was, the conversation, in his view, no longer needed to be had.
There will always be favorites. There will always be memories that feel bigger. But at some point, the numbers take over. The longevity, production, championships and now the record itself have become part of a case that no longer has room for dismissal.
James has always been vocal about how he wants to be remembered in NBA history. And for a player who has always let his game speak first, the moment gave his words more weight than ever before.This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.