The best part about Friday night’s NBA All-Star Celebrity Game was seeing ESPN analyst Jon Barry take a face full of water from a Harlem Globetrotter. The joke was on Barry and it didn’t look like he was laughing when his suit was soaked.
As for the actual celebrity game, there were few REAL celebs in the game with the exception of my man Chris Tucker, Michael Rapapport and Common, who has some game. They should seriously get rid of the Globetrotters for some female celebs. I’d invite Megan Fox and Jessica Alba next year!
Prior to the game, Shaquille O’Neal told ESPN’s Stuart Scott that he would donated $5,000 to charity if Mavericks owner Mark Cuban can make a 3-point shot during the celebrity game. Stu Scott wasn’t about to be upstaged by The Diesel as he matched called Shaq’s $5,000 and raised it to $10,000. Stu Scott must be well paid by the Worldwide Leader. Cuban wasn’t able to come through, and Shaq and Scott were able to keep their wallets intact.
Speaking of Shaq, he said that it was “nice to see Rick Fox and Robert Horry,” two of his former teammates in L.A. But then Shaq said he hadn’t see Fox in 10 years. Memo to Shaq, Fox was your Lakers teammate during the 2004 NBA Finals. Obviously, old age has corrupted The Diesel’s memory bank.
I can’t believe it has been 10 years since Kobe Bryant set up Shaquille O’Neal with that memorable lob pass in Game 7 of the 2000 Western Conference finals that resulted in a earth-shaking one-handed slam dunk that changed the landscape of the NBA and ignited one of the best runs in league history. This past decade, from 2000 to 2009, will forever be known as the Shaq and Kobe Era. No two players commanded the spotlight on and off the court better than The Diesel and The Black Mamba. They each have four NBA championships (three of them as teammates), and between them they have four NBA Finals MVPs and two regular-season MVPs and 27 All-Star Game appearances. Their on-court dramatics nearly matched their off-court soap opera. Their legendary feud was the best long running reality TV in the NBA. Bryant and O’Neal head a list of the 10 players, compiled by OneManFastBreak.net, who defined this past decade (from 2000-2009) regardless of position.
10. STEVE NASH, guard: Nash was a very good point man in Dallas and posted some very good numbers. But when he got traded to Phoenix, some media members must have developed some kind of Alzheimer’s because they voted him MVP…twice! Sure, his stats got better and his Suns teams were fun to watch. But Nash’s game hasn’t changed since Don Nelson made him a full-time starter. The knock on Nash is that he’s the only two-time league MVP who has NEVER gotten past the conference finals.
9. DIRK NOWITZKI, forward: Zeeee German has easily been the best European player the past 10 years and is still the only Euro to win the Maurice Podoloff trophy as the regular season MVP. Nowitzki, who has redefined the power forward position as the “soft” forward position, can sometimes get lost in a physical battle but when he’s allowed to float near the top of the free throw line, he is one of the deadliest shooters the game has ever seen.
8. DWYANE WADE, guard: When Pat Riley drafted Wade in 2003, the fortunes of the Miami Heat turned for the better. Nicknamed “The Flash” by Shaquille O’Neal, D-Wade rose to prominence with his spectacular play in the postseason. He powered the Heat to the Eastern Conference finals in 2005 in only his second season, and then lifted the Heat to a NBA championship in 2006. His place his history was permanently etched when Wade captured the MVP of the Finals with a spectacular series against the Mavericks.
7. CHAUNCEY BILLUPS, guard: His career took off when Larry Brown became the head coach with the Pistons. At 6-3 and well over 200 pounds, Billups is one of the most physical point guards in the league. He overpowers smaller guards and he is deceptively quick enough to get past most PGs. Billups’ crowning achievement came in 2004 when he led the Pistons to a victory over the Lakers in the NBA Finals and was named the series MVP. Nicknamed Mr. Big Shot, Billups is one of the best clutch shooters when the game is on the line and his supreme confidence never wavers.
6. ALLEN IVERSON, guard: From 2000 to 2007, A.I. had all the answers. He was the most dominated little man in the game and a certain Hall-of-Famer. Iverson was an explosive scorer, a player who can had the great ability to overcome any type of defense. All defenders were at his mercy when he isolated at the top of the key. During the decade, Iverson hit the 30-point scoring average five times and was named the 2001 league MVP. He took the Sixers to the NBA Finals that year, but lost to the Lakers in five games. A.I. was also a polarizing figure off the court. He was the poster boy for the Hip-Hop generation with his trademark cornrows and countless tattoos. His “we’re talking about practice!” soundbite has become a timeless loop on SportsCenter.
5. LEBRON JAMES, forward: Even though he came to the party late, LeBron James has certainly left an indelible mark in just seven seasons. He was the most heralded and super hyped high school player to ever enter the NBA, and was tabbed the Chosen One by Sports Illustrated. King James has changed the culture in Cleveland after the Cavaliers made James the No. 1 overall selection in the 2003 draft. James’ arrival gave Cleveland sports fans a ray of hope, something that has been absent for years because of past failures by the Cavaliers, Browns and Indians. In his fourth season, James powered the Cavs to the franchise’s first appearance in the NBA Finals. Then, in 2009, James captured the league MVP, joining Jim Brown, Otto Graham, Brian Sipe, Al Rosen and Lou Boudreau as the only Cleveland pro athletes to be named MVP. LeBron will move up on this list if he ever wins a NBA title.
4. KEVIN GARNETT, forward: The Big Ticket has redefined the power forward position. Before KG, power forwards were like plow horses whose were main jobs were to protect the centers and the guards and, outside of a few guys like Kevin McHale, Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, did most of the dirty work. But Garnett had the unique ability to play inside and outside and could outrun most guards in the open court. From 2000 to 2005, KG’s stat line was 22-12-5. His length was also a huge weapon on defense as he could defend any of the five position players. KG was named regular-season MVP in 2004 and, after getting traded from Minnesota to Boston, won a championship ring with the Celtics in 2008 that pretty much sealed Garnett’s legacy. If it weren’t for the next guy on this list, Garnett would be the No. 1 power forward in the history of the Association.
3. TIM DUNCAN, forward: Nicknamed The Big Fundamental by Shaq, Duncan was a picture of consistency the past 10 years and the foundation of the San Antonio Spurs’ mini-dynasty. Duncan was named regular season MVP in 2002-03, earned NBA Finals MVP in ‘03 and ‘05, and a member of the All-NBA first team seven times. The Spurs were consistently one of the better defensive teams in the league because Duncan was such a great help defender. At times, Duncan was overlooked because his game is unspectacular. But let me ask this? Is averaging 20-plus points, grab 10-plus rebounds and block nearly two shots a game unspectacular? Thought so. My only knock on Duncan is that he was reluctant to play center because of the physical nature of the position. He was more finesse. But I’m not hatin’ on Timmy D. He will go down in history as the greatest power forward in the history of the game.
2. SHAQUILLE O’NEAL, center: Dominant. That’s the best way to describe Shaq, also known as The Diesel, Superman, The Big Aristotle, and The Big Shaqtus. Though he only won one regular season MVP award (2000), you could argue that Shaq was the best player in the Association from 2000 to 2005, and could have easily won five consecutive MVPs. He did, however, manage to win three consecutive NBA Finals MVPs. The only person to ever pull that off is the great Michael Jordan. O’Neal averaged 30.7 points and 15.4 rebounds in 23 playoff games in 2000, and averaged 30.4 points and 15.4 rebounds in powering the Lakers to a record-setting 15-1 mark in the 2001 playoffs. In his prime, and when healthy, no player in the league commanded such big attention as O’Neal did. Sometimes a double was not enough to slow down Super Shaq because he would simply overpower mere mortals who got in his path.
1. KOBE BRYANT, guard: Bryant scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors in 2006. Meditate on that one for a few seconds…EIGHTY-ONE points! I never saw Wilt Chamberlain score 100 points in 1962, and no one seems to have any footage of that game. I’ve seen the box score but that’s it. I have Kobe’s 81-point game at Staples Center on my DVR and I still can’t believe a NBA player, while competing against paid professionals, can score that many points. Michael Jordan’s best scoring output was 69 points. Kobe surpassed that in the third quarter! Jordan is the ultimate barometer for today’s NBA superstar. His six NBA championships is considered the benchmark because, let’s face it, nobody is going to beat Bill Russell’s 11 rings. Jordan supporters say MJ was a once-in-a-lifetime player and there will never be another like him. ESPN’s SportsCentury series tabbed him the No. 1 athlete in the past 100 years. Well, obviously those people who said MJ is the greatest is completely ignoring Kobe Bryant.
Last June, I was deprived of a Kobe Bryant-LeBron James matchup in the NBA Finals when LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers were unceremoniously dumped by the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals. I know I’ve already asked a ton of gifts this Christmas but I would like one more present. I would like to watch Kobe and LeBron play on Christmas Day.
Sincerely, OneManFastBreak
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Dear OneManFastBreak:
You’ve got your wish.
The main course on the Christmas Day menu that has everyone salivating is the matchup between the Lakers and the Cavaliers at Staples Center (5 p.m. ET, ABC), featuring arguably the two best players in the Association in reigning NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and reigning regular-season MVP LeBron James.
LeBron James will try to uncrown the real king, Kobe Bryant, on Christmas Day.
And, oh by the way, Shaquille O’Neal returns to the city he helped produce three NBA championships – as well as two very bad movies: “Kazaam” and “Steel.”
Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….
L.A. enters the marquee event with a league-best 23-4 record while the Cavaliers carry a 22-8 mark. The Cavs are on the tail end of a four-game trip while the Lakers have barely left the West Coast for two months.
The Lakers – playing in their 36th Dec. 25 game which is second only to the Knicks, who have been scheduled on Christmas 45 times – are 12-6 at home on Christmas and 20-15 overall. The Cavaliers are relative newcomers to the NBA’s long-standing tradition, making only their third appearance on Christmas in the LeBron James era and ninth overall. Cleveland is 5-0 when they play at home and 0-4 on the road.
As much as the general public and the suits at ABC would like this game to be competitive, the reality of it is the Lakers are far more superior than the Cavaliers, and the only thing Cleveland can hang its hat on is the fact that James could have a huge day and single-handedly influence the action.
However, one ace can’t trump a full house.
Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….
With the exception of guard Derek Fisher, who is barely 6 feet tall with shoes on, the Lakers boasts five studs 6-6 or taller: Bryant (6-6), Artest (6-7), Odom (6-10), Gasol (7-0) and Bynum (7-0).
The Lakers’ talent and length have been overwhelming the opposition since stealing Gasol from Memphis in February of 2008, winning a remarkable 109 of 121 regular-season games.
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is probably not going to get any Christmas cards any time soon from Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley. In fact, Heisley just told me to send over a bunch of coal to put in Kupchak’s stockings.
Needless to say, the Lakers have benefited greatly from the presence of the 7-foot Spaniard, whose high basketball IQ and low-maintenance personality has been the perfect complement to the hard-driven, super-confident Bryant.
In two meetings against the Cavaliers last season, Gasol averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds. He made 11 of 13 shots from the field in the Jan. 19 game at Staples, and three weeks later Gasol and Odom combined for 46 points and 29 rebounds in a 101-91 Laker win on Feb. 8.
The Lakers’ frontline thoroughly dominated the Cavs, 104-52, in points in the paint in the two games. Add Artest in the mix and the Lakers will have an even bigger advantage.
Cleveland tried to fix its frontcourt issues this offseason by trading for O’Neal. The problem is, O’Neal’s best days are behind him and his level of play is more in line with DJ Mbenga than Bynum.
Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….
With Shaq no longer Shaq, the Cavs have been leaning Mo Williams to help LeBron on offense. Unfortunately, Williams is more like a starting pitcher than a starting point guard, finding his groove on every fifth day.
So, unless Williams and O’Neal have an out-of-body experience and play out of their minds, expect two things to happen on Christmas Day: the Lakers should dominate the Cavs…again…and Nike will blitz the audience with an endless stream of Kobe and LeBron puppet commercials.
It’s been an incredible 18-year ride, Big Diesel. Thanks for the ferocious dunks. Thanks for the MVPs and the championships. And thanks for the great one-liners. You’ve been a huge force in the NBA for nearly two decades, a true dominant center the league may never see again. But, unfortunately, the end is nearing and it’ s time to hang up the sneakers for good. Your skills have diminished and, at times, you’ve been embarrassingly bad. It happens to all of us. One day you’ve got the world on your fingertips and the next you’re sitting at home in your lazy chair watching CNN World News Tonight. Based on your career low in points (11.2), rebounds (6.6) and field goal percentage (52.6), you just don’t have it any more.
Shaquille O'Neals 18th season in the NBA could very well be his last. The Diesel is averaging career lows in points, rebounds and field goal percentage.
Brian Windhorst of the Cleveland Plain Dealer recently wrote:
If anyone just watched this one Cavs game, and plenty of people in Houston did including some that know a lot about basketball, you could come to the conclusion that Shaquille O’Neal’s time is over. In truth, he looked terrible in this loss. It was the first time this season he looked this way. This on a day when he was playing against a 6-6 center in Chuck Hayes, a game where most thought he put the Cavs over the top.
After shooting the ball pretty well in the preseason, Shaq has not been as effective as in the regular season. A prime issue is that he just doesn’t get much lift on his shots. This is not a new problem, but Shaq has not compensated for it by adding loft to his hooks. He continues to shoot them they way he did five years ago, like a line drive. Like his free throws. But when your arm is more than 11 feet in the air, like it used to be, you have a better chance than when it is just over 10 feet in the air. The angle doesn’t work as well. But beyond that, he’s missing easy layups and he has been for several weeks now.
When you ask Shaq about this he gives a standard answer, which is he is no longer a focus of the offense and he isn’t looking to take 20 shots a night. That he wants to come in an be a complementary piece. That is what he’s been saying since day one and it is also true. But that doesn’t explain why his shooting percentage is down nearly 10 percent this season.
Shaq has been very effective for the Cavs in certain ways. He has directly helped the Cavs defend the paint, score more points in the paint, free shooters and keep opponents honest. He has shown against some big centers what his value is. It is not fair to look at this game, the second night of a back-to-back, and make a proclamation. I am sure that is what some will do. But it is fair to point out where he’s struggling right now and this game showed it.
And it’s not just the writers who think Shaq’s done. His own teammates think he’s done.
LeBron James said: “While [O'Neal] was out, things flowed because we were playing loose and we had a certain lineup going. We haven’t had enough games with him in the lineup and coach is figuring out the best lineups to play. So, it still is an adjustment period.”
Translation, according to the Cavs’ franchise player, Cleveland doesn’t need the 37-year-old future Hall-of-Famer. At least not this old, broken-down version of The Big Aristotle. The expiration date on this old, spoiled athlete says: must use by 3-30-09. The Cavs are now realizing that Shaq’s usefulness is done and it’s time to dispose their big offseason pick-up and eat his big, fat contract for a year.
“I felt pretty good, I missed a couple chippies,” said O’Neal after a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats.
“We made a lot of silly mistakes and we had multiple chances to win,” Shaq added.
Those quotes are Shaq’s favorite over the years. Anytime his teams lose a game, he goes to the “I missed a couple of chippies” and “we made a lot of silly mistakes” cards. He said it when he was Orlando, he said it when he was a Laker, he said it when he was in Miami, and he said it when he was in Phoenix.
It’s the same song and dance with O’Neal and his act is growing old.
Time to leave the stage and take your final bow, Shaq.
Shaquille O’Neal loves to give nicknames and enjoys tossing around slogans.
The latest gem from the Big Quotatious was the comment he made about him and fellow Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
When 7-foot-1 O’Neal was asked about his relationship with 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas, the Cavs’ longtime center until this season, Shaq said, “Myself and [Ilgauskas], we are the best center in the game.”
O’Neal has started every game for the Cavaliers this season and Ilgaukas has spelled him time, but the Diesel doesn’t think he has to do the job all by himself. At 37, Shaq realizes that he can’t dominate a game for 40 minutes and has to pick his spots.
This is where he believes having Big Z as the backup helps the Cavaliers.
“I realize we’re gonna share minutes, so it’s vital we go out there and give it all we got,” O’Neal said. “It’s good to have an excellent big man like him as the backup.”
Don’t blame Shaquille O’Neal for the Cavaliers’ slow start.
Kevin McHale talked about Cleveland’s early-season woes during TNT’s postgame show on Thursday and hopefully Cavaliers coach Mike Brown was listening. McHale said the Cavaliers’ biggest problem on offense is spacing.
McHale pointed out that power forward Anderson Varejao does not have the shooting range to stretch a defense, and because of this the Cavaliers are having a hard time stretching the defense and their first two opponents – Boston and Toronto – basically packed the paint. Both teams were daring Varejao to beat them from the outside and Varejao did not make enough shots to force the Celtics and Raptors to adjust their defense.
Cavaliers forward Anderson Varejao has not meshed well with center Shaquille O'Neal after two games.
McHale explained that Varejao is not a pick-and-pop player. He’s more a pick-and-roll guy, and when he dives to the basket he ends up clogging the lane with Shaq.
Throughout his career, O’Neal has played with forwards who can make an 18-footer: Horace Grant, Robert Horry and Udonis Haslem. When O’Neal was in Phoenix, he ran into the same issues with Amare Stoudemire. Stoudemire prefers to roll the basket instead of popping out to the top of the circle, creating a logjam in the 3-second area.
In their two losses, the Cavaliers shot just 37% and have yet to score more than 92 points. For O’Neal to be effective in their offense, the Cavs need a 4-man who can consistently make jump shots.
The quick solution would be to have LeBron James play power forward, have Anthony Parker and Mo Williams in the backcourt and insert Jamario Moon at small forward. Or, when Delonte West returns, coach Mike Brown can play West and Williams in the backcourt, move Parker to small forward and have LeBron at power forward.
The bottom line is, Varejao and Shaq can’t be on the court at the same time.
The acquisition of center Shaquille O'Neal gives Cleveland a low-post presence and a four-time world champion. (GETTY IMAGES)
I’ve always believed that if LeBron James ever got another superstud to play alongside with, the Cleveland Cavaliers will be NBA champs. Since 2003, when the Cavaliers made James the face of their franchise, the Cavs are still searching for LeBron’s super sidekick.
Carlos Boozer would have been that superstud, but he didn’t stay long enough to see James grow into the most valuable player in the league. Drew Gooden was a nice replacement, but he’s not exactly the kind of low-post presence who commanded double teams. The Cavs gave Larry Hughes $70 million to be LeBron’s wingman, but he failed miserably and couldn’t stay upright long enough to make any kind of an impact. Mo Williams is the latest player to wear the “second-fiddle hat,” but he greatly disappointed Cleveland during the Eastern Conference finals against Orlando.
Now, enter the Shaq Fu.
Cleveland and Phoenix recently finalized a deal that sent 15-time All-Star Shaquille O’Neal to the Cavs in exchange for the expiring contracts of Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic, a second-round pick and cash. The O’Neal deal is a clear indication that GM Danny Ferry is doing everything in his power to please James and try to piece together a team he believes can compete for an NBA title.
Ferry feels that having O’Neal’s 7-1, 350-pound mass in the post can help diffuse some of the issues the Cavs had with Orlando center Dwight Howard, who was too quick for Zydrunas Ilgauskas and too big for Anderson Varejao. The Diesel can also take some pressure off James on offense. LeBron can take some possessions off and dump the ball in the post to Shaq, who is still an effective low-post scorer evidence by his 17-point average last season and his 60% shooting percentage.
The downside of the O’Neal deal is that the Diesel is down to his final gallon on his tank. He turns 38 in March when the postseason begins to heat up, he is injury-prone and his pick-and-roll defense has gotten worse and worse as he gets older. Shaq also will take up some of LeBron’s driving space in the painted area and he does not finish around the basket with the same ferocity.
Another potential problem that could surface is the Mike Brown-Shaq-LeBron power struggle. If LeBron is the king of Cleveland then Shaq won’t settle being the lead general of the troops, which means Brown’s voice will mean little in the Cavs’ huddle. Shaq is the stepson of a military father. He grew up in an environment where positions, titles and accomplishments are of great importance.
In L.A., Shaq trusted Phil Jackson because Jackson had the rings to earn that trust. In Miami, Shaq pushed Stan Van Gundy out of the way because he couldn’t see himself take orders from a guy who has never won an NBA title. As soon as Pat Riley took over the Heat, Shaq gathered the troops and followed Riles all the way to the Finals.
Ferry has done his part in delivering a big piece to Cleveland’s championship puzzle. Now, it is up to Coach Brown to make it work on the court.
Stan Van Gundy was called out by Shaquille O'Neal, who accused his former coach of being a "master of panic." (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)
Shaquille O’Neal recently called out Stan Van Gundy for being a “nobody” and his whole coaching career has been one big “flop.”
We all know Van Gundy is the Orlando Magic coach and is the brother of Jeff Van Gundy. Dig a little deeper and you find out that he was a longtime assistant for Pat Riley in New York and Miami. Dig even more deeper and you find that there is some truth to what O’Neal was saying. Van Gundy is a good regular-season coach, but there is evidence that he might have pushed the eject button during a playoff series.
When O’Neal was in Miami under Van Gundy, the Heat lost at home in Game 7 to Detroit in the 2005 Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat carried a seven-point lead midway through the fourth quarter but, for whatever reason, could not close the deal as the Pistons rallied and eventually knocked out the Heat. Maybe the Heat did “panic” a little? Hard to say for sure, but usually the head coach becomes the punching bag whenever a team comes apart at the seams. When players see things are going bad, they look to the head coach for leadership and guidance. I believe this is what O’Neal was referring to when he said, “When the general panics, the whole team panics.”
Shaq has been known to embellish from time to time, but The Diesel might be painting a telling picture about Van Gundy.
Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic wrote this after the Suns recently played the Magic:
After Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O’Neal heard that Orlando Magic coach Stan Van Gundy made negative comments about O’Neal’s attempt to draw an offensive foul in Tuesday’s game, Shaq fired back.
According to the Arizona Republic Van Gundy said: ”I was shocked, seriously, shocked,” Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. “And very disappointed ’cause he knows what it’s like. Let’s stand up and play like men.”
That did not go over well with O’Neal. Here are some of his comments:
“He (Dwight Howard) came with the same old, stale Patrick Ewing move so I tried to stand there and take the charge. The new rules say if you come through, you fall. But as I fell, I realized that it was a flop and it reminded me of Coach Van Gundy’s whole coaching career. The one thing I despise is a frontrunner. First of all, none of his players like him. When it gets tough, he will become the master of panic like he did before and he will quit like he did before.
“I see him (Howard) and Stan complaining the whole game because they have to. I’ve done more than him, his brother and Patrick Ewing. Stan Van Gundy reminds me of a broke navigational system. He knows everything about everything but ain’t never been nowhere.”
Shaq, you had me with the “stale Patrick Ewing move.”
Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal share a light moment during the All-Star Game in Las Vegas (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
After being selected to his 15th – and possibly his final – NBA All-Star Game, Shaquille O’Neal began reflecting. It is something athletes do when they get to be a certain age and they start to see the finish line, and O’Neal is at that point now.
Regrets?
Oh, yeah. Shaq’s had a few of them. When the subject of being reunited, for one night at least, with former Lakers teammate Kobe Bryant and former Lakers coach Phil Jackson in the All-Star Game, O’Neal told ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, “It’s going to bring back great memories. We’re gonna have fun.”
Then, O’Neal peaked Stephen A.’s attention when he said “Myself and him (Kobe), we’re still the greatest Little Man, Big Man 1-2 punch ever created in the history of the game.”
That’s high praise to a tandem that was more combustible than fluid. The relationship between O’Neal and Bryant could be summed up with two words: high maintenance. Bryant was mostly the recipient of Shaq attacks and, for the most part, was able to absorb those shots and took the high road. Some of those arguments stayed in house, but a lot of them were played out through the media.
It came to a boiling point at the start of the 2003-04 season when Bryant was caught in the middle of a rape case in Colorado. Seeing his livelihood and his NBA in serious jeopardy, Bryant panicked and blurted out Shaq’s name, telling detectives that O’Neal paid women “all the time” to stay quiet. Kobe not only broke the brotherhood code but he also broke a longstanding unwritten rule among athletes that you never throw teammates under the bus.
It took a long time before O’Neal got over the fact that his “little brother” tried to bring him down. But like all arguments between family members, time heals everything that ills. The two of them may not be best of friends, but their relationship has gone from being combatants to more of a community.
“He’s probably the MVP this year. He’s a monster,” O’Neal said of Bryant.
Over LeBron?
“I’m not comparing, I’m just saying that young man (Kobe) is a beast. We all know he’s a beast. LeBron is a beast also, but (Kobe) is playing excellent ball right now. He’s got his team playing well; he’s leading by example.”
Shaquille O'Neal says Kobe Bryant is the MVP of the league this year. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)
O’Neal has nothing but good thoughts about his time with the Lakers, a 360-degree turn from his past comments about the team that dealt him to Miami in 2004. As he looks back at his own career, he admitted that his time in L.A. was special.
“It was all about winning. We won three out of four. Can’t beat that. Nothing else matters. Should have been four out of four,” said O’Neal, who won three of his four championship rings as a Laker.
As for his opinion of the guy who helped him win three consecutive NBA titles in Los Angeles, O’Neal said “Always did love him. It was all marketing. And we helped you (the media) guys hype it up. I know what I’m doing. I’m the smartest player in the world.”
And Coach Jackson?
“He’s the greatest coach ever, and he’s done a lot for me,” O’Neal said. “Phil’s my guy.”
O’Neal and Bryant will forever be linked for what they accomplished with the Lakers. From 2000 to 2004, they were the most dominant duo in the league and one can only wonder how many championships the Lakers would have won had those two been able to set aside their petty differences and stayed together.
“Probably about six or seven (championships) … easily,” O’Neal said.
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in the world and it’s popularity extends beyond North America. The NBA has more international players than ever before and professional leagues in Europe, Asia and Australia are getting more and more TV exposure. Because basketball is such a major draw worldwide, it needs a global voice. It needs someone who can lead the break. A one man fastbreak!
