NBA – The Unlikely Player Who Terrified Shaq: “I Never Dared to Admit It, But He Scared Me”

Shaquille O’Neal built a Hall of Fame career partly thanks to his sheer physical dominance, which intimidated the rest of the league.

However, even the Diesel himself could be frightened by certain opponents—some of whom were quite unexpected.

Shaq: A Physical Force Unlike Any Other

Even in a league filled with giants, Shaquille O’Neal stood out as a superhuman presence. Few could physically compare to him, as he stood 7’1″ (2.16m) tall, weighed nearly 330 pounds (150kg), and was packed with muscle in his prime.

These attributes forced most of his opponents to stay out of his way.

The few who dared to challenge him often paid the price.

Just ask Chris Dudley, who is still remembered for the iconic poster dunk Shaq threw down on him.

However, some players managed to disrupt his game—and surprisingly, they weren’t always big and strong.

The Unbelievable Player Who Shook Shaquille O’Neal

Since retiring, O’Neal has often discussed the toughest opponents he faced. In addition to legendary big men like Patrick Ewing and David Robinson, he feared getting dunked on by high-flying athletes such as Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins.

But in an NBA TV interview, Shaq revealed an unexpected name among the players who gave him the most trouble—none other than Muggsy Bogues:

Shaquille O’Neal: “I never dared to admit this until now, but Muggsy Bogues scared me. Every time I put the ball on the floor, he was there, trying to steal it. As if battling against Alonzo Mourning wasn’t hard enough, I also had to watch out for this little guy who was lightning-fast and looked like Superman, or else he would take the ball from me.”

At the start of his career, Shaq frequently faced the Charlotte Hornets, meaning he often went up against Bogues.

Despite standing just 5’3″ (1.60m), the point guard managed to disrupt Shaq’s game, becoming a real threat due to his quick hands and defensive instincts.

Muggsy Bogues’ Proud Response

Naturally, Bogues took great pride in hearing such praise from one of the most dominant players in NBA history.

Speaking on the Friends With Ben podcast, he responded with humility:

Muggsy Bogues: “When guys like that give you such compliments, you feel honored. If you play basketball, it’s to compete against the best and push yourself to be the best you can be. I knew that stealing the ball could create fear in my opponents—nobody likes getting stripped. In any case, I really appreciate his kind words.”

Despite being 22 inches (56 cm) shorter than Shaquille O’Neal, Muggsy Bogues was still a legitimate defensive threat to him.

This just goes to show that size isn’t everything—even on an NBA court.