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Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal is one of the most accomplished big men in NBA history.
But he was left off Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss's list of the top five all-time contributors to the franchise.
Buss listed Kobe Bryant, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, LeBron James, Magic Johnson and former coach Phil Jackson. On Wednesday, the three-time NBA Finals MVP used one word to respond to the omission.
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Phil Jackson (left) and Jeannie Buss stand with former Los Angeles Laker Shaquille ONeal as his jersey is retired during a halftime ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles April 2, 2013. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/USA Today Sports)
"Whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy," he captioned an Instagram post featuring a graphic of Bryant, Abdul-Jabbar, James, Johnson and Jackson. The second photo in the post was a photo a O'Neal looking shocked.
Buss's list surfaced during an interview on the "All the Smoke" podcast hosted by former NBA players Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. Barnes spent two seasons with the Lakers.
At one point during the interview, Barnes and Jackson asked Buss to name the five Lakers she considered most important in the franchise's history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Julius Erving pose for a photo during the Taco Bell Skills Challenge as part of 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend Feb. 19, 2022, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
Jackson won 11 NBA championships as a head coach, including five with the Lakers. He coached Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the '90s during the franchise's two three-peats. Buss previously dated Jackson and later became his fiancée.
"Does Phil count?" Buss asked before admitting he would make her list.
Kobe Bryant, left, of the Los Angeles Lakers holds the Larry O'Brien trophy as teammate Shaquille O'Neal holds the MVP trophy after winning the NBA championship against the Indiana Pacers June, 19, 2000. (AFP/AFP via Getty Images)
Buss's list sparked some controversy.
"I saw the other day Jeanie Buss made a statement. The five most important Lakers. One of the most offensive things I’ve ever heard in my life," former Lakers executive and player Jerry West said on the "Hoop Du Jour Podcast."
"I was there a lot of times, had a lot of success. Be curious to know if they would have had that success if I hadn’t been there."
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During his eight-year stint in Los Angeles, O'Neal helped the franchise win three championships. He left to join the Miami Heat and won his fourth title with the Heat.
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