“Means My Plan Is Working…I Know How to Get Personal”: 7’1 Shaquille O’Neal on Confrontation With Kevin Durant and Other Players He Triggers

The hilarious and entertaining demeanor of Shaquille O’Neal has kept him fresh in people’s minds over a decade after his retirement. Although the Big Man has genuinely interesting insights into the game, he sometimes goes off track which results in some interesting conversations. Shaq doesn’t hold back when expressing himself on players and performances that he didn’t really enjoy. Although the Los Angeles Lakers legend’s blatantly honest comments might seem like his true personality, he recently revealed how there is an ulterior motive behind all of it.

The Lakers legend has been known not to mince his words before even speaking about the greatest in the game. The Big Man has always been unapologetically straightforward with his opinions, but he doesn’t really do it for the kicks.

Shaquille O’Neal gives real reason behind triggering players like Kevin Durant

The Big Man has left no stone unturned in the eye of the public. From beefing with the great Kobe Bryant to becoming a television sensation in sports broadcasting, he’s done it all. However, all of his activities do have a reason behind them, as he revealed in a recent podcast appearance.

In a recent episode of I AM ATHLETE, Shaq sat down with former athletes to talk about his approach toward life. In the conversation, host Ashley Nicole Moss decided to ask the Big Man whether there were any confrontations with players like Kevin Durant when he dissed them on live television or social media. Immediately, the ex-NFL star, Brandon Marshall interrupted how he’d definitely confront the Big Aristotle if he said anything about him on live television. To which Shaq revealed the secrets of his cut-throat approach toward certain players.

“Why would you pull me to the side, ’cause I hurt your feelings?,” Shaq asked Marshall.

Before the ex-NFL star could gather up an appropriate response, the Big Man interrupted, “Guess what? That means my plan is working…So notice I don’t go at everybody, I only go at dogs. So, when dogs get mad what do they do?…Before we start throwing blows, we’ll be like what you trippin’ on? And I’m gonna put it to the side…but see I don’t tell cats what I’m doing…when I say something I’m not trying to get personal, because I know how to get personal.”

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It would explain why Shaq has been quite hard on some players throughout his career, recently including Kevin Durant, when they engaged in a short Twitter feud over ‘ball knowledge’. The Big Aristotle has always been like this, as he previously mentioned how he tried the same tricks to motivate young Kobe Bryant.

Shaq tricked Kobe Bryant to be motivated

Before they ever beefed publicly, Shaq had a mission to get the best out of 19-year-old Kobe Bryant. In the latest documentary Shaq, and on multiple platforms, the four-time NBA Champion has mentioned his sneaky tricks to try and motivate Bryant. 

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According to Shaq himself, the then-Lakers superstar used to press the “buttons” of rookie Bryant to tap into his anger. He used to be mean and bothersome to Bryant in practice as the latter slowly transcended to become a superstar. Although Bryant would probably become the legend that he was destined to be, Shaq’s push definitely helped him.