Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is known to be a harsh critic for his job as an NBA analyst. The former Los Angeles Lakers legend has locked horns with several basketball athletes throughout the years due to his straightforward and assertive demeanor. However, Shaq also never fails to give credit where it’s due. That is why he had a rather interesting suggestion for the league several days before the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk contest.
The 2023 Slam Dunk contest came as a pleasant surprise for NBA fans, given that the past few years’ contests were anything but entertaining. Just days after Shaq issued a ‘warning’ to the league due to its past failures, a particular G League player won his approval via his jaw-dropping dunking skills.
Shaquille O’Neal’s solution to the league’s problem
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
When Lakers superstar LeBron James made history by becoming the All-Time Scoring leader, a photo collage depicting the contrast between the two eras went viral. One photo showed the spectators witnessing Michael Jordan making his last shot with the Chicago Bulls. In contrast, another photo showed fans watching King James make the record-breaking shot through the lenses of their phone cameras. WNBA star Candace Parker talked about the effect of digital devices in the latest episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq. Reflecting on the vast difference the photo depicted, the Las Vegas Aces player stated, ‘ nobody enjoys the moment anymore.’
Additionally, podcast co-host Shaquille O’Neal talked about the league’s weak attempts to hold the fans’ interest in the dunk contests. He said, “I’m warning the dunk contest people right now. One time, me and you [Parker] was the judge and we kept it going. NBA kind of got mad at us but that was the best one… but after that the dunk contests has been terrible.”
When Parker asked what the league should do to improve the competition, Shaq replied, “They should put a Rolls-Royce Cullinan for first place. A convertible Rolls-Royce for second place and a Benz for third place since we got all these sponsors.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Had the league considered Shaq’s idea, this year’s Slam Dunk contest star Mac McClung would have been a proud owner of a brand new Rolls Royce car. Given that the Big Aristotle is a huge car enthusiast, his suggestion of giving away high-end branded cars to the contest winners does not come as a surprise.
Shaq’s vast collection of expensive cars
Shaquille O’Neal’s car collection is a dream that took years and years of hard work to achieve. The millionaire businessman owns 30 luxurious cars which also includes Al Pacino’s 1963 Cadillac Eldorado. Interestingly, the car was featured in the veteran actor’s 1983 movie Scarface, which happens to be one of Shaq’s favorite movies.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
WATCH THIS STORY: 5 times Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal had heated fights on Inside The NBA
Besides the Cadillac, Shaquille O’Neal also owns multiple Rolls Royce vehicles, including a 2020 Cullinan and a Phantom.