If you’ve watched Shaq on TNT’s “Inside the NBA” for any length of time, you’ve seen and heard the big man come down with some not-too-subtle comments and criticisms about (some of) today’s NBA stars. For O’Neal, he says it’s really just a bit of “tough love.”
A recent story posted by CBS Sports Online went into detail on some of the latest action, and just this week (as of this writing) Shaq himself appeared on the Dan Patrick Show to also talk about his tough love and the reasons behind his words.
Lots of viewers point to Shaq’s post-game interview with Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell. On a live broadcast, O’Neal told the rising star “you don’t have what it takes to get to the next level.” Afterwards, he suggested the statements were meant to motivate the two-time all-star, but there’s been some blowback as well. A number of current players, including LeBron James and Kevin Durant, have defended Mitchell.
Still, Shaq is sticking to his words and his reasoning for his statements. On the “Dan Patrick Show” Monday, he talked about getting much the same comments and “motivation” from older players around him when he entered the league.
On the show, Shaq said, “I’m just doing what was done to me. I can remember when I was averaging 30, 35 in L.A., but we were always getting swept. And the great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said, ‘Hey you guys haven’t won a championship yet.’ Did I whine? Did I cry? Did I complain on social media? Nope, I didn’t say anything, because Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a chief-14 classification to say that. What am I gonna do? Have a dispute with the greatest NBA player ever? So when he said that, when he gave me constructive criticism, I took it, and I listened, and I brought my game to another level. So these guys now, they’re pudding pops.”
Helpful or not? Tough love? Maybe. Still, the game and the personalities in it have definitely changed – a lot – since the time when Shaq was just entering The Association.
Shaq has a major platform, that’s for sure. Guys like Abdul-Jabbar never had the sort of high-profile media position O’Neal enjoys, and there was no social media for daily posting and commenting, either.
As CBS points out (and so have others), there’s a big difference between speaking as a former player and speaking as one of the league’s most well-known analysts. Shows like “Inside the NBA” exist to showcase and talk about (and to) the league’s best.
No surprise… We live in a super-fast, super-connected, 24/7 world of always-on media, social media and more. With social media news feeds, Twitter comments and IG photo posts, there’s no escaping the all-seeing eyes (and ears) of fans and players. Time will tell if we learn some new lessons and new ways to communicate with each other… not only in sports, but in life in general.