The Lakers have always claimed to possess a good center to counter O'Neal, and it's not just talk. They've truly groomed someone capable of going one-on-one against O'Neal, even arguably the best in the league at single-handedly defending O'Neal's strong attacks.
In terms of overall defense against O'Neal, it's certainly not as good as last year's Olajuwon. For fast breaks, it's definitely not up to par with David Robinson. But when it comes to head-on defense, with enough bulk, strong interference awareness, and a mentality that's hard to break down... right now, no one really compares to Campbell.
This was recognized after last season, with public opinion generally considering Campbell to be a product the Lakers used to attract big stars to join.
