The G.O.A.T.s: Who wore #34 the best?
In what may be the most loaded episode yet, Yahoo Sports asked current NBA players which greats came to mind when they heard the number 34. Will an active two-time MVP challenge some of the top players from the 1990s & 2000s?
Video Transcript
- When you think of a player wearing the number 34, who comes to mind?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- 34?
- 34.
- When I think of 34--
- He goes in for a wham, bam, slam!
- 34, yeah, I mean, it's tough.
- I never thought about that. [LAUGHS] That's a tough one.
- When you think of a player wearing the number 34, who comes to mind?
- Charles Barkley.
- Oliver Miller underneath, off the backboard, no basket. No! He says score the basket. And the Suns win it! Charles Barkley!
- I think he wore it best. Because it's just something about the way it looked in the Suns uniform. He was like one of those undersized four men that could move well. He was athletic, you know, handled the ball. He did everything. So it was like that number just-- I think it looked best on him.
- First person that comes to mind wearing 34 is, you know, my teammate, Giannis.
- Time winding down, Antetokounmpo on the fade. It's good at the buzzer!
[CHEERING]
- I think he's [INAUDIBLE] at the highest level. I would have used to say Paul Pierce growing up in Boston. But Giannis has taken over.
- Ray Allen-- for some reason, I think Ray Allen. I think of Ray Allen with the Bucks. He was such a great player.
- Ray Allen spotting up for 3. Bang!
- [LAUGHS]
- Ray Allen--
- I like it.
- --an electrifying performance here in the first half!
- Just had a smooth game, man, nice handle, could shoot the jump shot-- he had underrated athleticism when he was with the Bucks. I just remember that, just 34 with him with the Bucks. I just do.
- My favorite number 34 of all time, it's between Shaq and Hakeem Olajuwon.
- I say Hakeem.
- Hakeem Olajuwon.
- Hakeem Olajuwon.
- Little fadeaway, oh!
[CHEERING]
Hakeem Olajuwon!
- Oh, ho!
- Oh, The Dream Shake! Oh!
- Oh, no! Olajuwon.
- Oh! Oh!
- Hakeem-- growing up, seeing him, he did a lot with that number.
- That's who I watched when I started playing. And, you know, I just fell in love with his game, everything that he did from Dream Shakes, to fadeaway, to the way he moves, to him being one of the best ever. So I really love watching him.
- Sleepy to Olajuwon, right at the buzzer. Good!
[CHEERING]
- I've always been a fan of his footwork.
- Best footwork.
- So finesse for a big guy.
- Hakeem had, you know, craziest moves, greatest pump fakes. You know, he was so crafty.
- Hakeem Olajuwon was one of the best bigs to ever play the game. And his versatility is what helped the Rockets be such a great team.
- My favorite player that wears the number 34, I would have to say Shaq, The Diesel, O'Neal.
- Shaq.
- Shaq.
- Shaq.
- Wearing 34, Shaq, for sure.
- Bryant to Shaq!
[CHEERING]
- When I think of 34, I think of Shaquille O'Neal from the Lakers.
- Shaquille O'Neal.
- Shaquille O'Neal.
- Andre Miller turns the corner-- wow, was that sent away by Shaquille O'Neal.
- I'd say Shaq just because how dominant Shaq was.
- He was just so dominant.
- You know, he just dominated.
- Stoudamire, little drive, in deep. And Shaq says get out of here, shorty.
- Shaq was the most dominant force in the NBA. And 34 is always going to be Shaq from the Lakers.
- There's just something about his presence, you know, like that number [INAUDIBLE].
- When he played, you know, he was a showstopper. And he-- he brought life to the arena.
- Just what he meant to the game.
- What he did for our game, he made it even more popular than it already is. So that number kind of just resonates with him and all of the great things he was able to accomplish. And he's the number 34 that I-- that I recognize first.
[WHOOSH]
- When you think of the number 34, do you have a specific player that comes to mind?
[MUSIC PLAYING]
- Isn't that the number Giannis wears? My history of the NBA's bloody terrible. It may be Shaq, because he was 32?
- He wore 32, and he wore 34.
- Oh, yeah. There you go, mate. Yeah, I'm bloody terrible at any of this stuff, so bloody Giannis.
