Shaquille O’Neal don’t really have a good relationship with NBA’s big men since retiring. He was once very critical of Dwight Howard although they have patched things up with Magic legend’s induction to Hall of Fame. Other big men O’Neal tried to be hard on are Rudy Gobert and Javale McGee.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend explained that he is only criticizing these big men because they want them to get to another level. He called it tough love.
Right now, he got no subject for tough love. He admitted though that he has his eyes on Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic but then realized there’s nothing he can say that would matter as Jokic is already in the level that every big man should chase.
“Nobody now because of the bigs that are supposed to be big. The big that I would be tough on is the Joker, but he’s the best center in the league,” the four-time NBA champion said in an interview with Hoops Hype.
“So I have to say nothing to him. And he has a championship, which means he knows what it takes. So I don’t have to say anything to him.”
Indeed, there’s not much Jokic needs to hear from the Most Dominant Ever. The Nuggets star is already a champion and a three-time MVP. Their games are also very different with Shaq dominating inside the paint and the Joker dominating almost everywhere including point guard plays.
Shaquille O’Neal says he has 2 targets
Although he has no one to ridicule right now, Shaq said there are two centers he should be criticizing. However, he is holding back for different reasons.
These two players he is referring to are 2023 MVP Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama.
“Wemby, he’s still in that baby era,” he continued.
“I try to be tough on Joel (Embiid), but apparently he can’t take it. So I’ll probably have to delete him from my program.”
It is just probably hard for Embiid to respond right given that he is not available. The best way to answer to Shaq’s criticism is to let their game do the talking. Maybe this coming season.
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