Yao Ming vs. Shaquille O'Neal: NBA Rankings Comparison

The ultimate statistical showdown: compare Yao Ming and Shaquille O'Neal all-time NBA rankings. Explore their historical standing across total and per-game stats, regular season and playoffs. Who ranks higher?

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Scoring / Stats / Stats Rankings / Games against each other

This in-depth analysis goes beyond basic career numbers to provide an unparalleled look at where Yao Ming, with a career spanning 8 seasons from 2003 to 2011, and Shaquille O'Neal, with 19 seasons played from 1993 to 2011, stand among the league's historical elite..

Dive into a meticulous breakdown of their positions in every major statistical category—from scoring and rebounding to assists, steals, and blocks—across both regular season and their entire playoff careers. Our comprehensive tables offer side-by-side rankings, value comparisons, and key differences, ensuring you have all the definitive data to assess their historical impact.

First, review a concise summary of how they rank in NBA history in the main categories (points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks) for both total and per-game stats, and below, you can then explore in detail all their stats and their historical rankings.

Yao Ming vs. Shaquille O'Neal
Total Stats, Rankings Summary

Career Totals
Season Playoffs
Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal
Points
+300th
9th
+300th
5th
Rebounds
+300th
15th
+300th
5th
Assists
+300th
235th
+300th
53rd
Steals
+300th
+300th
+300th
92nd
Blocks
120th
8th
223rd
4th
Years819417

Yao Ming vs. Shaquille O'Neal
Per Game Stats, Rankings Summary

Career Per Game
Season Playoffs
Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal
Points
98th
29th
95th
36th
Rebounds
87th
32nd
84th
23rd
Assists
+300th
+300th
+300th
+300th
Steals
+300th
+300th
+300th
+300th
Blocks
31st
15th
67th
15th

Comparisons on this page:

Their rankings for:
Season Totals - Playoffs Totals /
Season Per Game - Playoffs Per Game

Note: per game rankings include players with a minimum of games played

Career Totals,
Regular Season Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points
+300th
9th
+291 9,247 vs. 28,59619,349
Rebounds
+300th
15th
+285 4,494 vs. 13,0998,605
Assists
+300th
235th
+65 769 vs. 3,0262,257
Steals
+300th
+300th
189 vs. 739550
Blocks
120th
8th
112 920 vs. 2,7321,812
Offensive Rebounds
+300th
6th
+294 1,233 vs. 4,2092,976
Defensive Rebounds
259th
11th
248 3,261 vs. 8,8905,629
Field Goals Made
+300th
7th
+293 3,380 vs. 11,3307,950
Field Goals Attempted
+300th
23rd
+277 6,445 vs. 19,45713,012
3-Pointers Made
+300th
+300th
2 vs. 11
3-Pointers Attempted
+300th
+300th
10 vs. 2212
Free Throws Made
265th
25th
240 2,485 vs. 5,9353,450
Free Throws Attempted
+300th
4th
+296 2,984 vs. 11,2528,268

Games and Years:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Games Played
+300th
47th
+253 486 vs. 1,207721
Seasons
+300th
12th
+288 8 vs. 1911

Rankings by Points Scored:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
40+ point games
276th
21st
255 2 vs. 4947
50+ point games
-
40th
0 vs. 33
60+ point games
-
11th
0 vs. 11
70+ point games
-
-
0 vs. 00

Career Totals,
Playoffs Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points
+300th
5th
+295 555 vs. 5,2504,695
Rebounds
+300th
5th
+295 261 vs. 2,5082,247
Assists
+300th
53rd
+247 29 vs. 582553
Steals
+300th
92nd
+208 9 vs. 117108
Blocks
223rd
4th
219 42 vs. 459417
Offensive Rebounds
+300th
1st
+299 76 vs. 866790
Defensive Rebounds
+300th
3rd
+297 185 vs. 1,6421,457
Field Goals Made
+300th
4th
+296 195 vs. 2,0411,846
Field Goals Attempted
+300th
7th
+293 376 vs. 3,6273,251
3-Pointers Made
+300th
+300th
0 vs. 00
3-Pointers Attempted
+300th
+300th
0 vs. 00
Free Throws Made
300th
8th
292 165 vs. 1,1681,003
Free Throws Attempted
+300th
2nd
+298 198 vs. 2,3172,119

Games and Years:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Games Played
+300th
9th
+291 28 vs. 216188
Playoffs
+300th
6th
+294 4 vs. 1713

Rankings by Points Scored:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
40+ point games
-
8th
0 vs. 1212
50+ point games
-
-
0 vs. 00

Career Per Game Averages,
Regular Season Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points per game
98th
29th
69 19.03 vs. 23.694.67
Rebounds per game
87th
32nd
55 9.25 vs. 10.851.61
Assists per game
+300th
+300th
1.58 vs. 2.510.92
Steals per game
+300th
+300th
0.39 vs. 0.610.22
Blocks per game
31st
15th
16 1.89 vs. 2.260.37
Offensive Rebounds per game
88th
10th
78 2.54 vs. 3.490.95
Defensive Rebounds per game
49th
31st
18 6.71 vs. 7.370.66
Field Goals Made per game
124th
11th
113 6.95 vs. 9.392.43
Field Goals Attempted per game
223rd
74th
149 13.26 vs. 16.122.86
3-Pointers Made per game
+300th
+300th
0.00 vs. 0.000.00
3-Pointers Attempted per game
+300th
+300th
0.02 vs. 0.020.00
Free Throws Made per game
48th
58th
10 5.11 vs. 4.920.20
Free Throws Attempted per game
69th
5th
64 6.14 vs. 9.323.18

Career Per Game Averages,
Playoffs Rankings

Stats Rankings:

Yao Ming Shaquille O'Neal Rk Diff. Values Diff.
Points per game
95th
36th
59 19.82 vs. 24.314.48
Rebounds per game
84th
23rd
61 9.32 vs. 11.612.29
Assists per game
+300th
+300th
1.04 vs. 2.691.66
Steals per game
+300th
+300th
0.32 vs. 0.540.22
Blocks per game
67th
15th
52 1.50 vs. 2.130.63
Offensive Rebounds per game
84th
6th
78 2.71 vs. 4.011.29
Defensive Rebounds per game
59th
27th
32 6.61 vs. 7.600.99
Field Goals Made per game
131st
22nd
109 6.96 vs. 9.452.48
Field Goals Attempted per game
212nd
83rd
129 13.43 vs. 16.793.36
3-Pointers Made per game
+300th
+300th
0.00 vs. 0.000.00
3-Pointers Attempted per game
+300th
+300th
0.00 vs. 0.000.00
Free Throws Made per game
37th
60th
23 5.89 vs. 5.410.49
Free Throws Attempted per game
48th
2nd
46 7.07 vs. 10.733.66

Note: the per game rankings on this page respect the minimums usually applied by the NBA for all-time leaders, 400 games for regular season stats unless the player reached these thresholds before: 10,000 points; 4,000 rebounds; 2,000 assists; 625 steals; 500 blocks; 250 3-pointers made. Also 3 minimum games for the Playoffs are applied.