Corridor of Fame former NBA heart Shaquille O’Neal has taken umbrage with the occasional shut video games Staff USA performed throughout its run to a fifth consecutive gold medal on this month’s 2024 Paris Olympics.
Granted, the People did go undefeated (11-0) between their 5 pleasant exhibition video games and their six contests in competitors. However the U.S. did barely eke out a semifinal sport win in opposition to Staff Serbia (the eventual bronze medalists), after trailing by as many as 17 factors, and solely led Staff France (the eventual silver medalists) by three factors inside the ultimate three minutes of their gold medal victory.
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Throughout a current episode of his present “The Big Podcast With Shaquille O’Neal,” the 2000 MVP defined why he tuned out on Staff USA.
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“I am not even listening to the Olympics,” O’Neal claimed. “I’ve a dominant persona. I do not care how you might be, no matter. My cousin Kenny simply had this argument upstairs. My cousin stated, ‘The world is getting shut,’ however I do not suppose it’s. The truth that [USA Basketball won a warm-up game against Team South Sudan by just a point, 101-100], you solely beat South Sudan by one. Come on, bro. That is by no means alleged to occur.”
O’Neal solely suited up for one Olympic squad, the gold medal-winning 1996 iteration of Staff USA throughout the Atlanta Olympics.
A 15-time All-Star, 14-time All-NBA honoree, four-time champion, three-time All-Defensive Teamer, three-time Finals MVP, two-time league scoring chief, and 2000 MVP, the 7-foot-1 LSU product is mostly thought to be among the best massive males of his technology.
Throughout a prolific 19-year NBA profession, O’Neal suited up for the Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Warmth, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers, earlier than wrapping up his run in 2010-11 with the Boston Celtics. He boasts profession averages of 23.7 factors on 58.2 p.c capturing from the ground and 52.7 p.c capturing from the charity stripe, 10.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 2.3 blocks and 0.6 assists an evening throughout 1,207 profession common season video games (1,197 begins).
O’Neal’s 1996 U.S. Olympic staff featured 11 future Corridor of Famers — fellow facilities Hakeem Olajuwon and David Robinson, energy forwards Charles Barkley and Karl Malone, small forwards Scottie Pippen and Grant Hill, capturing guards Reggie Miller and Mitch Richmond, and level guard Gary Payton.
Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, O’Neal’s Orlando Magic and later Miami Warmth teammate, is the one participant on that summer season’s roster to not be named to the Corridor of Fame, and that’s extra on account of accidents waylaying his profession than the rest.
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